Bird in the White Cage
by Kamibi
Summary: Sometimes, when certain conditions are met, fate can be changed. They will build and burn and reconstruct bridges, but at the end of the tale, they will live or die—together.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors.

~Kamibi

It took four years to save the world. It took a remarkable two minutes to lose her temper and seriously contemplate doing something she might regret.

Well . . . the victim of her fury might regret it more than she would.

Some things were never meant to mix. Orange juice and toothpaste, good and evil, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru—bad things happen when they do.

For example, now that Kikyou had briefly disappeared to gather some herbs for her medicines, Inuyasha's face and body were twitching in a grotesquely amusing way, and she could almost SEE the profanity bubbling behind his clenched fangs. In contrast, Sesshoumaru was calmly and primly resting in the Lotus position with a cup of tea that he got from God knows where.

When his complexion had reached the point where Kagome was about to ask whether the brash hanyou required more oxygen, he gave up trying to hold all of his anger in and unleashed a torrent of curses.

"What the hell are ya doin' here, ya bastard?"

Sesshoumaru sipped his tea and swallowed elegantly, before lowering the fluid and breathing deeply. Only then did he deign to respond, "I am drinking tea."

"Keh! Of course a stupid asshole like YOU wouldn't think beyond the surface!"

There was another tense pause.

"How amusing, Little Brother, that is exactly how the rest of the world views you."

When Kagome had had her fill of Inuyasha's profanity and Sesshoumaru's retorts, she finally gave in to her baser urge.

Which was to scream the S-word until her rage was subdued.

"SIT! SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT!" There was now a respectably-large crater where Inuyasha used to screech. "You're such an IDIOT!" Kagome proceeded to scream some stronger words that made her audience slightly uncomfortable, dirt-to-face contact aside. "I'm sick and tired of you whining so much! He's your brother, and he will do whatever he damn well wants because he's SESSHOU-FREAKING-MARU AND HE'S THE _GODDAMNED LORD OF THE WEST_."

Inuyasha pulled himself out of his crater after some time, scratched and seemingly mollified, but Kagome knew it wasn't over.

Her rant earned her an entire twenty-three seconds of peace. Not like she was counting, or anything. Then, Inuyasha softly muttered, "Keh. If the jerk would take that stick from up his—" He was cut off by his brother.

"Perhaps I should have taken you in, if only to shield the civilized folk from your uncouth vocabulary."

Undaunted, he fired back, "I can survive in the wild, by myself! And I'm damn proud of growing up alone!"

Now it was the "lying-through-my-teeth" portion of their argument. _Great_.

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to bite out a clever reply, but Kagome's temper proved to be even mightier than The Western Lord's irritation.

"That is IT! I wish I could meet your father, and tell him ALL about you idiots! Maybe then you'd stop acting like children!"

Silence. What the hell? All she had to do to get some quiet was play on their daddy-issues? She wanted to smack herself.

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered, expression horrified. "The Jewel . . ."

For all of a second, Kagome was confused. Yeah, the Shikon no Tama; they'd defeated Naraku, taken his shards, then acquired Kohaku's—whom Sesshoumaru revived very generously with his amazing magic-sword—to complete the cursed thing. As Shikon Miko, she kept it tucked inside her shirt at all times. . . .

Well, that was just _splendid_.

They had just enough time for her to receive a despairing look from Inuyasha, and a haughty one from Sesshoumaru that proclaimed his disdain for her ditzy-ness. Well. He probably didn't think that word-for-word, but . . .

A bright, blue radiance illuminated the edges of her vision, and her attention was immediately captured by the newest manifestation of the hatred God had for her. She recognized the shine of it; it was the Bone-Eater's Well. She quickly deduced that said well was assisting the Jewel in granting her wish.

"Oh, _sh_—" And then a burst of white light illuminated the clearing; when everyone could see again, Kagome was gone. Kikyou returned to her mate with her basketful of herbs just then. Her reincarnation's aura was nowhere to be found, despite having been in the area just a moment ago. The miko's eyes widened dramatically, and she dropped her basket, plants scattering everywhere. She cursed a rather vile curse—which led Inuyasha to fluff with pride—and ran from the clearing, apparently to find help.

After some tense silence, Sesshoumaru remarked dryly, "This one is under the belief that your speech-patterns rub off onto your women entirely too much."

" . . . Keh."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Keh," Kagome muttered, dusting imaginary particles off of her and angrily plopping down on the dirt.

After kicking the sides of the well repeatedly, she felt much calmer. Shrugging, she muttered, still a bit ticked off, "Finally, some _quiet_," and began to think.

It had been a while since she had that opportunity. Four years, to be precise.

Because it was then, at the tender, foolish age of fifteen, that she was dragged into a well that began her life. For some stupid reason, that life was an adventure with a kitsune kit whom she adored and fretted over, a monk with less-than-saintly ways, a Taijiya who gladly filled the place of the sister she had always yearned for, and a hanyou she thought she loved.

Ah, yes, her embarrassing crush; whenever she saw him back then, she would get this flutter in her chest, and she assumed it was love.

Surprise, surprise: it was actually indigestion.

Snorting, she went back to her previous line of thought before her . . . self . . . broke in. It wasn't love, nor was it heart burn. It was fear.

She was afraid. There was always a lot of fear back then. She was afraid of the danger he represented, afraid of her future, but she was mainly afraid for him. How could he live while yearning for a dead woman, how could he go on with their mutual murderer still tormenting them? How long could the brash, silver-haired Inu-hanyou endure such torturous conditions?

Thankfully, Kagome had fixed one problem, which ended up solving them all. Just before the final battle, Kagome approached the icy miko, and purified her on a whim (actually, that was just what Kikyou and Kagome told everyone else. The lookalikes both knew that Kikyou was only purified because she was about to corrupt the younger girl). All the anger, the hate, the pain; all of it melted away under the powerful force of the younger priestess's gentle aura. But some of her power stayed with Kikyou, granting her the life she never should have lost in the first place, and the once-corpse willingly returned her shard.

That was when Kagome met the real Kikyou, the one Inuyasha loved, and would gladly go to Hell for—or at least, would be very conflicted about going to Hell for. Kikyou was soft, and kind; she was quiet, but stubborn; she was loyal, and brave, and intelligent. She was shy, and laughed often. She was even a willing and particularly apt teacher of miko techniques, like running holy energy through muscular tissue to strengthen it. Kagome was forever grateful to her, and she knew that Kikyou felt the same way.

She was Kagome's second—but no less beloved and cherished—sister, both because of their friendship, and because her hanyou brother mated the woman. Kagome was happy for them.

Still . . . she couldn't help but be a little envious of their love. That feeling of rightness, of belonging: Kagome knew that she would never find that in either her world or Inuyasha's. She had long ago resigned herself to that fact, and had learned not to doubt her gut instincts.

And at the moment, said gut instincts were sending off blaring alarms.

Coming out of her cathartic state, she glanced up to see that the sun was setting, and she was running out of light in the well. Focusing her senses, she was startled by the bonfire of dark, evil auras that lit up disturbingly close to her location. She was about to take off the other direction (her specialty was disintegrating _individual_ youkai; that's why she and Inuyasha worked so well together, mutt had crowd control like whoa), when she realized that someone was fighting the awesome horde of demons.

Some_one_. Singular.

Certain suicide or no, Kagome would not leave a person to die. Cursing her strong conscience, she flooded her reiki into her legs with the ease of a thousand rehearsals, and she vaulted out of the shaft and into a battle that she would never, not in all her years, forget.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

The silver Inu was in a particularly irritating skirmish against throngs of low-level youkai; for every one he slew with ease, another ten popped up to take its place. If he had the fingertips to spare, he would have rubbed his temples. His aggravation, however, was slowly giving way to incredulous panic. If this thing didn't end soon, he would succumb to the sheer number of demons attacking him.

That would be really embarrassing.

Just as he was beginning to question the prospect of seeing sunrise the next day, a new entity came into his awareness. Surprised, but not once faltering in his attacks, he took note of its characteristics.

_The scent is sweet like vanilla, indicating a kind or weak nature, but also spiced, as of with cloves, which indicates a certain strength. She is female. Her aura is the purest I have ever seen, surpassing even that of my dear friend's. And by the Kami themselves, she is _strong_._

In fact, her aura of power was nearly a match for his own. Then, the owner of those attributes was right beside him. He didn't glance at her because he was a trained warrior, damn it, and he knew that if he looked away once, he would be overwhelmed. But he nodded in thanks, even as his Inner Youkai drooled at the amazing aroma.

A clumsy yet potent burst of energy from his companion leveled about half of the remaining forces. Pleasantly surprised, he found that his morale had been restored. Within ten minutes, the pair had defeated the rest.

Panting and sweating slightly, he flicked the blood off his blade, slid it back into its sheath, and turned to face his savior.

Pure energy still radiated around her, crackling on the air. That meant that the one who had saved him . . . was a priestess?

"Damn, I was afraid my pants weren't gonna make it."

He stared at her as she ran a hand through her thick, dark hair and yawned a little, cocking her hip to the side. "You were engaged in battle with an army of demons, and you were concerned for the safety of your _pants_?"

Defensively, she claimed, "These are quality pants! Do you know how long it took to find the perfect fit?" "_And I wasn't sure I would be able to release reiki through my hands a second time because that crap is damn hard_" was what she didn't add, so as to seem less intelligent and therefore less of a threat. Hey, she _had_ been doing this adventuring-thing for a while. It's hard not to learn _something_ from constantly having your life in peril.

"I would've been more worried about the claws intent on killing me," he scoffed, apparently thinking her ditzy. Good. He'd be less prepared if he turned out to be an enemy.

"You men are all the same! First off, how are you supposed to walk around in pants that are too large or too small? What if they fall off your waist? Secondly, this particular garment is enchanted—_painstakingly,_ I might add—by myself. I spent a freaking long time making sure they would meet my needs! Seriously, no male understands the importance of a girl's pants," she huffed, crossing her arms.

This conversation was going nowhere very quickly, and following a decidedly insane woman. "As it were, your pants are safe, and your help much appreciated, Lady . . . ?"

"Kagome," she supplied, "And please, don't call me Lady. It makes me feel snooty—I have a request, if you don't mind," she interrupted herself.

"Yes?"

"Catch me."

"What—?"

Her eyes rolled back in her head, and he belatedly took note of how much energy she had expended as her knees gave out. Reflexively, he caught her, and decided to bring her with him.

Life got boring as a wanderer.

Dropping her down on some hides laid down by a tree, he paused a moment before rearranging her limbs more comfortably. After all, she had saved his life, though he'd never say it out loud.

_**I like her**_, his Inner Youkai spoke up. He rarely communicated with the exterior persona, so his Inner was usually taken very seriously.

_We hardly know her_, he replied, focusing more on the task of starting a fire than talking to himself.

_**I want to keep her**_**.**

_I'm sure she has places to be; I'm just going to let her heal, and then she can get on her way._

_** But I like her.**_

_ So you've stated._

Kagome moaned in her sleep, her eyelids fluttering, and her brow beginning to sweat.

"Perhaps you are not as well as you led me to believe," the demon scolded her quietly. "But why go so far to save a demon? And who are you?"

He decided that the only way to get his questions answered was to get her back to full health, so he dragged her closer to the fire and boiled some water.

Frowning, he stared silently into the flames and waited for his new companion to wake up.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

** Hey guys, this is the first installment in what is sure to be a semi-long story. I'm going to be screwing with the time line a lot, so if you want to know something, contact me and I'll send you some clarification! Also, I only read until a certain point in the manga before I discovered that the fanfiction for it was **_**so**_ **much better. So if I have gaps in certain pieces of the storyline, it's not my fault. Well, I guess it is, but this is my own universe, anyways. So, ha.**

** The Shikon Jewel disappears because what Kagome really means when she wishes is that the brothers should stop fighting so that they and the rest of Japan can have some peace to themselves, and finally achieve the happiness they deserve. So it's a pure wish…**

** I totally agree with Kanna37's explanation of that particular event (that there really is no need for a pure wish, it's just an ideal created by fans; all that really needs to happen is for the **_**right**_** wish), but I enjoy playing with the idea too much to give it up. Maybe in a different fic.**

**For a full timeline, please visit my bio. I'll be updating it as I update the fic, so the one or two people who follow the entire way won't get any spoilers.**

**Love,**

**~Kamibi**


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors.

I also stole the youkai-to-human years thing from the author of Shikuro: A Caribbean Fairy Tale, so kudos to them! It was a brilliant idea, and I loved it.

~Kamibi

She woke up early the next morning, inconspicuously peeking at him from underneath her thick bangs.

Well. _She_ probably thought it was inconspicuous.

Deciding to play along, he gave a little snort and returned to his breakfast.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

She had a dream of scorching heat, and crackling embers; haunting, golden eyes emerged from the darkness that cloaked the fire, and a voice called to her, but she couldn't make out the words. She saw glimpses of someone's life, flashes of impossibly tall trees and lavish decorations and a little hanyou girl—

Her eyes flashed open. Still slightly asleep, she panicked for a moment, before she remembered what had happened in the minutes before she passed out. She must have overexerted herself again. That meant that either she had fallen onto an ocean of blood, or the enigma had granted her her favor.

Daring a glance up, she observed the youkai. He seemed to be thinking about something, mindlessly bringing something savory up to his lips. A frown furrowed between his eyes, and he appeared troubled.

She assumed that he was debating over what to do with her. He hadn't seemed to notice her, and on a whim, she decided to see if his eyes were the eyes in her dream.

They were. That made sense, considering he was the last thing she saw before passing out. His eyes were yellow, sort of. Not really, though, she mused; they were deeper, more fluid than yellow. They were the color of her mother's precious bracelet, the one she was never allowed to touch.

_Gold_ . . . yes, that was it. His eyes were golden, his hair silver . . .

Wait a minute . . . The cogs in her head grinded into motion, shaking dust and cobwebs off.

Golden eyes at half-mast, silver hair restrained in a pony-tail, white silk robes similar to those of Sesshoumaru, two poofy tails a little shorter than the Lord of the West's, and a single pair of indigo markings . . .

It looked like she got her wish. And Kagome, being the oblivious idiot that she was, had thought him some random white Inuyoukai.

In her defense, he looked much younger than the one time she had seen him. Still, youth or not, Sesshoumaru's father was not a youkai with whom to be screwed.

And she had treated him so informally. Kagome was surprised her head hadn't been lopped off.

Sighing, she realized that he must've known she was awake. There was no way he couldn't have. She pulled herself up into a sitting position, then groaned at the sudden vertigo and vengeful throb of pain in her skull. Still, she forced herself to remain upright, and let the cool morning air beat away the headache. Shivering lightly, she inched closer to the fire and bid the impassive demon a "good morning."

"Here."

He passed her a saucer of thin broth composed of some sort of meat and water. Grateful, she finished it quickly to replenish her stores of energy.

"Thank you, my Lord."

He was vaguely surprised. She recognized him, but took him for his father? No one did that. Now he was even more curious about the miko with the strange dialect. "You mistake me. I am the Western Lord's son, Takahashi Shiro. You may refer to me as 'Prince Shiro'."

Kagome nodded in understanding.

"I suppose you want some answers," she said some minutes later.

"You cannot move anywhere right now, and I am curious," he replied.

She rolled her eyes at his statement.

"You could've just said 'yes'."

"I chose not to," he explained.

"You might've saved yourself two seconds."

"What are two seconds to an immortal?" he scoffed at the notion.

She answered seriously, "The difference between life and death."

Her partner seemed surprised at the new level of depth within her eyes. _Good_, she thought. _Give 'im something to be curious about._

Clearing her throat, she dispelled his suspicion by declaring, "It's also the amount of time it takes for a young priestess to decide that a certain youkai prince irritates her."

His Inner Youkai laughed at him.

"So says the girl who feared for her _clothing_ in a fight," he sneered.

"Well, perhaps I was a little distracted."

"By what?" His voice was dripping with derision. Kagome's eyebrow ticked.

Offended, she said, "By the fact that I had just experienced a highly-traumatic event?"

"Such as?" he pressed.

"I decided that a certain youkai prince irritates me."

Kagome instantly regretted saying the words, fearing for her life as her temper abruptly faded, but she turned her chin up and narrowed her eyes, daring him to challenge her. _If you're gonna go, go hard_, she told herself stubbornly. Her nose was stuffy, and she sniffled.

Shiro blinked at the absurdity of the situation. Here was this human woman, insulting him, attempting to stare at him coldly, but she looked so small, her nose red and wrapped in hides. _His_ hides.

He couldn't help but chuckle lowly. Perhaps his new friend was right, and he was insane.

His laughter was infectious, vibrating in her bones and making a smile spread across her face.

Their eyes caught, and something stuttered into life. Neither knew what happened, but they both had the distinct sensation of something beginning.

Similarly, they ignored it.

"I've decided to keep you," he said imperiously.

"Okay," she commented, feeling lethargic.

Kagome went back to sleep.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

When next she woke, the sun was slowly leeching out of the sky. She felt slightly refreshed, and her headache was less vociferous than it had been earlier.

"You will tell This One who you are and how you came to find me yesterday," he demanded.

"It'll be a long story," she warned.

"I have nowhere to be."

She sighed. "Very well then. Get comfy, Prince Shiro." He did nothing. Kagome ignored him haughtily.

"It started with a cat . . ."

_ ~Bird in the White Cage~_

" . . . and then the next thing I know, I'm at the bottom of the well, and you're fighting for your life."

Three hours had passed since she began, and if he were a lesser male, he would've fallen asleep by now. But he'd had all his questions answered, and he supposed that was all that mattered.

He was Takahashi Shiro, and he could stay awake when no one else could.

"May I ask how _you_ came to be in that clearing?" Kagome inquired curiously. She wasn't asking why he was there, she was asking what his past was. During her excruciatingly long tale that he only half-believed, he had picked up on a hidden intellect behind her widened eyes and enormous gesticulations. She was certainly cleverer than he had assumed.

Perhaps it was because the lull of a warm night and the comforting drone of low conversation had softened him, perhaps he was slightly delirious, perhaps he was under a spell.

For whatever reason, his Inner Youkai nudged him to tell her everything, and so he did. There was something about Kagome that made him trust her, even if it was only a little.

"When I was a young pup, barely able to speak Human, my father's beloved mate, Misaki, was killed while protecting me from a powerful demon. Father had been away, chasing rumors of the same villain who attacked us. He had been rather weak at the time, having just defeated a youkai that was plaguing a village, but even he had felt the immense aura in our palace. He rushed home as fast as he could, then pushed himself even faster, but it was still not enough. When he finally showed up, Mother was dead behind me, and I had transformed into my true form in a pointless attempt to save myself and Mother's body.

"Father went insane with rage and grief when he saw my coat slick with Mother's crimson life-essence. He easily struck down the great youkai, but the effort left him frailer than before. He was weak, and broken, and has been ever since.

"When I was around seventeen—"

"—Hold up. Your dad made you do something incredibly dangerous and life-changing when you were _seventeen_?" Kagome interrupted.

He stared blankly at her, but Kagome ignored the look and waited patiently for an answer. Determining that she really had no idea what was going on, he decided to take pity on her.

" . . . As you _should_ know," Kagome coughed a little as he gave her a pointed glance, "youkai age differently than ningen. We mature fifteen years as a human would, then gain a year for every century. I, myself, am 564 right now." Shiro sat up a little straighter; it was obvious that he was proud of his age. After all, not many youkai lived to see their 100th birthdays, let alone their 564th.

Kagome's eyebrow twitched. Math, math, math; why was every damn thing about her WORST FRICKIN' SUBJECT!?

Kagome began to mutter furiously under her breath, counting on her fingers and glaring at them when she ran out.

_Okay, so he grew up fifteen years, so subtract that from 564, and you get 496 . . . wait, that doesn't sound right . . . Okay, subtract this from that, and . . . 521, yeah, that seems good . . . Then for every 100, he ages another year . . . So he's . . ._

"Holy Hell, you're EIGHTY-TWO!" Kagome shrieked in excited shock.

"I most certainly am not" was his annoyed response.

"You're not?" Her disappointment was so heart-breakingly evident on her young face, he was almost inclined to lie for her.

He shook his princely head. "Hold on, then . . ."

And what was with this "hold up" and "hold on" business? To what was he supposed to hold on, exactly? And what was he supposed to display?

He watched her closely as she calculated once more, brow furrowed and nose wrinkled in concentration. She reminded him of somebody he felt like he should know, but just as he was about to remember, the miko spoke again.

"96?" Could she not even complete basic arithmetic?

"No."

"73?" Apparently not.

"No."

She snapped her fingers triumphantly, "264!"

He stared at her. "Do I really look that old? Should I have a spell done?" he asked sarcastically.

"What? No, you're very attract . . . " she cut herself off with a cough, blushing furiously. Inwardly, he smirked, but decided to let her thing he hadn't noticed her slip of the tongue. "I give up," she eventually said.

"20."

"What?"

"I'm 20 in human years," he said slowly.

"Really? You're my age . . ."

He exhaled loudly, and then said, "We're going to have to teach you how to add and subtract." She looked sheepish. "Anyway . . .

"When I was seventeen, an enormous aura of great power pulsed from the Northeastern tip of our lands. Both I and my crippled father felt it, and immediately worried for our people. We both agreed that, as he had obligations to the Western lands behind his desk, and I was the stronger of us, I would venture out in the direction of the source to seek out and destroy it. I had graduated training a century prior, and was most eager to put myself to the test.

"I set out the next week by myself, perfectly capable of hunting and protecting the citizens in my kingdom. In fact, I had learned of almost everything a youkai would need to know of surviving past the coddling reach of my Father. Everything, save for those with holy power.

"About five years after I began my quest to comb the countryside, I came across a miko named Midoriko." Kagome gasped, and Shiro looked at her funny, but continued, "And we fought. No matter how tired we became, neither of us would surrender first, and eventually we realized that we were evenly matched. We agreed upon a truce, and sat down to camp for the night.

"After a few sentences of reluctant conversation, we were surprised to discover that we were searching for the same evil; she had encountered more detailed rumors of him in her travels, and was able to communicate his name, which was as black and evil as he: Kuroaku." His regal face bore a somber expression as he remembered those who had suffered by Kuroaku's hand.

"Wow, whoever named him really put a lot of effort into it, huh?" she scoffed.

"The survivors he left took to calling him the Black Evil, because of how dark their lives became, and so he was named," he murmured.

Kagome sobered instantly. "I'm sorry," she intoned softly, ashamed.

He nodded in acceptance of her apology. "Midoriko and I travelled together; it was from her I gained my immunity to purification, and it was from me that she learned of many techniques that youkai share." Mentally, Shiro winced. After he reached his immunity, he was often the target of Midoriko's attacks as she trained to refine her purifying ability, and he was probably still traumatized from that particular ordeal. Still, he recalled wistfully, "Together, we were unstoppable.

"But all things must come to an end, and Midoriko was no longer as youthful as she had been. She returned to her village to protect the innocent there and act as a healer, and we parted ways.

"Later, I learned of Kuroaku's cowardly attack on her life. He had sent swarms of powerful youkai to battle with my dear friend, as I overheard from a farmer in a village I was passing through. I hurried to her side, but by the time I arrived, she had been encased in the frost-glass, immune to time or nature. I also learned of the Jewel, but discarded any information I gathered on it. Feeling as much of a failure as my father surely did when my mother died, I wandered aimlessly for weeks before deciding to exact revenge on the dishonorable being behind it—Kuroaku.

"I spent many years researching battle strategies, refining my control over youki, and training my body. I forced myself to become invincible, in order to avenge my comrade. When the time came, Kuroaku was waiting for me. He had legions upon legions of demons, but that didn't worry me as much as the fact that he possessed the Shikon Jewel.

"My dearest ally was trapped inside some random stone, and I was not going to lose her to some filthy, low-level _creature_." His lips bared in a snarl, exposing his fangs. Kagome felt a chill of primal fear run down her spine at his ferocity, but his eyes bored not into her, but into memories of days long past. "I fought harder than I had ever fought before to save her soul inside the dark Shikon, and the sunrise several days later greeted me covered in blood, gore, and grime, but victorious. Despite the fact that I had just rid the world of such a menace, I only cared that I had rescued my friend. The praise and adoration of a few citizens I encountered afterwards were therefore unexpected and largely unwanted.

"I knew I wasn't strong enough to resist the temptation the Shikon no Tama presented, so I searched for a village with a miko capable of protecting it and keeping it pure. She was nowhere near as powerful as Midoriko, but that was why my acquaintance was sacrificed, not she; Kuroaku, I had deduced, had gone after Midoriko to eliminate what he thought the only threat between him and all of Japan.

"I passed it on to the village priestess, making her swear that she and her blood would defend it with their lives. I check up on it annually, to ensure that the jewel remains safe. It was actually that task that I was completing, before I was ambushed by the demons you defeated after leaping out of the well."

"After over two decades of recuperating from the clash with Kuroaku and fighting anything that got in my way, I finally caught back up to my former skill level and surpassed myself. That was when I felt something new, something worse than Kuroaku.

"I sensed his anger with me, as well as his grudging respect. But we were both too weak to engage in combat the way we both desired, so we waited and kept an eye on the other. While neither of us would shed a single tear were the other to die, we wouldn't be pleased either. I feel that if he and I had met under different terms, we would have been as close as brothers. As it is, we grow in strength together, and he keeps his location hidden from me. After all, we are _not_ brothers, and I am his most hated enemy.

"And I cannot fault him for it; I killed his mother while he watched from a concealed cage. Kuroaku, his sire, tossed the Shikon into the throat of a female dragon demon, who went mad immediately. I had no choice but to destroy her. She was my nemesis's mother, having been raped by Kuroaku and held as a prisoner solely for his entertainment. The child loved her dearly; she was his sanctuary when Kuroaku turned his bloodlust on his son. By killing her, I earned the hatred of the child; I am completely responsible for corrupting his innocent heart, but that is only one of the many reasons I feel guilt and regret throughout my life.

"And so I wait, and he hides, the Prince of the West and the dragon Ryuukotsusei."

Shiro finished his tale with a tone of weariness and anticipation, and Kagome's eyes held something he'd only seen in the eyes of his enemies in their final moments. They shone with shock and despair, but not for herself, for _him—_

It disturbed him to see that in her eyes.

Then it was gone, smoothly covered by a mask of reverent awe. It made him wonder just how many times she had had to hide her pain; it angered him that such an innocent creature was so familiar with the ways of masking hurt.

"Wow, Prince Shiro . . . that was amazing. I had no idea . . . your life; it belongs in a story," she bobbed her head determinedly, "and I'm going to write it, one day."

She looked so serious and earnest, he couldn't help but forget how irate he had been but moments ago. He approved of his choice in companion.

They wasted the rest of the night talking in hushed voices solely for the thrill of whispering by a fire, laughing and frowning and replying. Kagome shared more of herself than she'd ever told anyone, and something told her that the normally-reserved prince had never smiled so much in such a short period of time. She'd be wary of being so open so soon, but something told her that she could trust him.

Her gut told her that he wouldn't betray her, and she was desperate to prove that she was loyal in return.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**So here's a bit of background story that sets the stage for the meat of the story. From here on out, they adventure, get involved in some major drama, and then attempt to fix it. Who can say if this story is going to be angst-y or cheerful…?**

**Oh, that's right, **_**me**_**.**

**Well, love ya, and because tonight's a school night, I gotta go to bed. I have to walk in the morning.**

**Affections,**

**~Kamibi**

**Author's Note August 26:**

**Yes, it's more serious. But I think I'm smoothing over clunky parts in the plot that I hated, so I like my edits. If anyone doesn't like what I've done, well . . .**

**That sucks. Because I forgot to save the originals. ^-^**

**Have fun, readers!**

**~Kamibi**


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors.

~Kamibi

When she woke up the next morning, it was with a smile. A content feeling had come over her sometime during the night as she realized that she finally had somebody who could listen to her without wanting anything in return or getting distracted. Sure, her friends were great, but sometimes, she just wanted somebody to focus on _her_; the miko appreciated how busy and dangerous her friends' lives were, but that didn't change her human need for attention.

Stretching, she decided to start her day and clean off the grime of the past few days.

If there was one thing Kagome could not_ stand_, it was lounging around in her own filth.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro was lonely.

He'd been wandering around by himself for many, many years, and Inuyoukai were never meant to be solitary creatures. Kagome satisfied the itch for his pack, and nothing more.

He told himself this.

And when a burst of holy energy lit up the spiritual sky approximately a mile away, he swore that it was instinctual concern for his new pack that made his heart throb painfully and forced his legs into motion.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro burst from the tree line, claws bared, hackles raised. Kagome looked over her shoulder at him, facing the other way while she bathed in a shallow stream. A moment of stunned silence occurred, before Kagome ducked under the water, face redder than anything he'd ever seen. In fact, he was surprised that there wasn't a cloud of steam born from the intense blush . . .

"PERVERT!" She began to throw rocks at him while spluttering an offended tirade.

Frantically, he dodged her astoundingly accurate aim, and struggled to explain.

"Kagome—"

"I can't believe you! God, I thought you were different from that perverted monk, but you're exactly the same!"

Perverted monk? He did not like the sound of that. "Wait—"

"You're so frustrating! Why are you so–so–STUPID!"

"Let me just—"

"YOU'RE AN IMBECILE!" The next rock came far too close to his important bits for his liking.

"KAGOME!" the prince roared as his ire was finally piqued. A Daiyoukai could only go so far in suffering indignities.

She shut her mouth abruptly, dropping the stone she'd been holding and staring at Shiro with wide eyes. His hair was a little mussed from his quick evasion, he was breathing a little heavily (not that she noticed), and he was _not_ going to let Kagome treat him like a lecher.

"You are going to calm down, get dressed, and then come back to camp so that I may explain to you why I—_accidentally_—walked in on your bathing," he informed her, not leaving any room for refusal.

Kagome nodded, slightly embarrassed, and watched as he turned away and rubbed his temples, presumably in an attempt to lessen his fury.

_Well_, she thought, _it can't hurt me to help with that endeavor._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

As they were walking back, Shiro kept a few steps ahead of her, and did not speak a word. His aura remained irritated. Uncomfortable and guilty, Kagome broke the terse silence with an apology. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, nor reacted so rashly. I blew things way out of proportion," she coughed a bit, " . . . and I'm sorry that I threw those rocks at you."

Because rocks could be very painful when thrown by angry naked women, or so Miroku claimed.

He sighed heavily, relaxing his tense shoulders, then slowed down so that they were side-by-side. "It is alright; I should not have surprised you, or gotten angry that you attempted to defend your honor, even if it was not in danger."

After a pause that made it clear that Shiro was not going to speak of his own volition, she ventured, "So . . . why did you end up near the river, anyway?"

"I saw a flare of spiritual energy, and I ran to see if you were hurt."

Well. That made her feel like an ass. "A low-level youkai showed up suddenly and I purified it before it could attack me," she explained.

He turned to her in astonishment. "There was a youkai present before my arrival?" His unparalleled olfactory capabilities hadn't detected anything besides the scents of the indigenous plant and animal life and his companion.

She nodded simply, curious about his shock.

"Kagome, that means that either my nose is broken, or that you purified its scent, which is thought to be impossible."

"Really? I wasn't trying to do anything special. . . ." She then began to do a victory dance while chanting "I am awesome!"

Shiro shook his head in slowly in amusement. There was something pleasantly—it _seemed_ pleasant, at least—strange about this woman, and he only became more satisfied with his decision to adopt her into his lifestyle.

"How exactly did you defeat the enemy?" he asked politely for the sake of keeping up a conversation. They were close to the campsite, now; Shiro would have to have a conversation with her about staying within a short radius of it whenever she took off on her own from now on.

"It ran at me, and then I sort of . . . blasted it with my reiki?" Kagome mimed a wave of energy exploding from her palms and destroying her target. "It was actually a really lucky thing, because I wasn't sure it would work . . ."

He arched a brow. She didn't seem to have very good control over her powers, yet, which was odd because most miko began their training at a young age. Given her intelligence—which was not to say that she was _knowledgeable_—she should have mastered it by now. Of course, having been raised in the future, certain allowances could be made for her ignorance. "You need a weapon," he decided.

"I need a bow," she agreed.

He nodded; the only other miko he'd spent time with preferred the sword, but who was he to say that all priestesses were alike? "I will procure the necessary arms at the nearest village."

Kagome waved her hand in dismissal and laughed, "Oh, that won't be necessary. I am perfectly capable of making my own bow."

Pleased that he wouldn't have to spend any of his precious money, he did not reply, and they walked in companionable silence back to the camp.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Several hours later, Kagome finished her project. She had found what looked like a nice tree, broken pieces off of it, and then used a sharp rock to carve a bow out of a larger fragment. Thin bark formed the string, and she figured she could just use miko-power to form the arrows (conveniently forgetting that she could barely manage a clumsy spray of reiki half the time she wanted one).

Taking a step back, she examined it critically as Shiro came over to look at it.

"It's very . . . unique," he commented with a grimace.

"It looks like shit," she dead-panned.

"Well . . ." he looked away, incapable of denying it. "Yes."

Kagome sighed. "I guess I'm not as much of a master bow-maker as I thought I would be . . . It is surprisingly difficult."

He placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Purchasing a bow from town should not prove to be too expensive."

She sighed again and dropped the bow to the ground, where it splintered readily into several pieces, before walking away in disappointment.

Shiro glanced at the dismembered weapon and thanked the gods that he didn't have to convince her that she'd failed.

That might have ended painfully for him.

_~Bird in the White Cage_

A few days later found them trudging along a worn, dirt road, shuffling their feet in silence as the sun gradually sank closer to the horizon. Kagome seemed to be thinking about something, so he waited politely until she brought it up, which was estimated to be . . . now.

"Prince Shiro?" she began.

Right on time. "Yes?"

"Youkai can create weapons out of youki that remain once you stop channeling power into them, right?"

What had prompted that inquiry? "Yes; most of the greatest demon blades in history have been forged that way. There was The First Demon Blade, wielded by Akihiro the Defender, forged just before the Battle of Twisting Sands in—"

"Alright, I get it," she interrupted impatiently, apparently not in the mood for a history lesson. "Has a miko ever tried to do that with reiki?"

A little miffed at her lack of respect, he took some time before he replied, "No, I haven't heard of it."

After a pause of determined thinking, she asked again, "In theory, could it be done?"

"Yes, I suppose so," he commented, remembering what his father had told him about the process.

"Great! Thanks, Shiro!" she chirped. Vaguely, he pondered the lack of a title and the lack of anger on his part that she hadn't used one. "Can we stop for camp, then? I would like to experiment, and really, we're not going to get anywhere before sunset."

He nodded, and they ventured about fifteen minutes off the road to where the trees began to grow. There, she hunkered down and scrunched up her face like she was doing math.

_It might be awhile before she finishes, if she's making that face_, Shiro sighed as he began to start a fire.

_**All the more time we can use to bond with each other!**_

_. . . I would think that I know you well enough, by now. After all, you _are_ me . . ._

_**It's so cute that you think you know me at all. We should play a game to fix that!**_

It disturbed him that his inner self was so immature.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kagome reached deep inside her soul, searching for and locating the well of power with some trouble, but it wasn't too hard. _Thank you, Kikyou_. Maintaining contact with the bright light within her, she focused on the image of a slender, ivory horn bow, with a durable string. Having a basic idea of what she wanted, she thought about how it would feel in her hands. It was light, yet strong, and could channel spiritual power with ease. It was a long bow, and even as she crafted it within her mind, she heard its name call out to her soul.

_Hikarikiyoi_

_Shining Purity_

And then, a semi-transparent weapon was in her waiting palms, thrumming with raw energy, joyous and the very image of its name and _sentient_.

_Higurashi Kagome_

_Shikon Miko_

_Friend_

_Sister_

_Mother_

_Daughter_

_Kagome_

_Kagome_

_**KAGOME**_

As she cradled Hikarikiyoi close to her heart, she knew then why Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's swords were so important to them. It was like having their father there with them. Hikarikiyoi was as much her as her voice, her eyes, her heart was. There was no distinction between girl and bow, no line that could be drawn between their shared existence.

_Hikarikiyoi_

_Kagome_

One and the same, Hikarikiyoi and Kagome; this was her spirit as it was meant to be, and so it would remain until the day she passed on and beyond.

And yet . . .

When Hikarikiyoi spoke, her voice resonated in Kagome's spirit and she wondered how she'd gone so long as part of a whole. **_You_ kn_ow that your soul remains incomplete_.**

Alarmed, Kagome asked, _Kikyou? But how? I thought that after I purified her . . ._

_**No, Child; Kami create souls in two parts; the beings are only half of their potential until they reconnect as was meant to be.**_

_Then those who share a soul would be called . . . Soulmates?_

_**Indeed, Kagome. You would do well to think about the ramifications of that term.**_

Taking a moment to do so, she realized what she wanted to ask this mysterious new part of herself. _Hikari, have I met my Soulmate?_

_**You know already.**_

Her brow furrowed, perplexed. _Do I . . . ? Who is it?_

**_That, I cannot answer for__ you. You must accept it on your__ own._ **And Hikarikiyoi would say no more on the subject.

Well, it was nice to know that she had a shot at escaping her persistent loneliness.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

He would never admit it, but the miko had managed to impress him again. Most youkai couldn't manage to create a Demon Blade until they were as powerful as he was—and very few were. The amount of energy required to form a tangible object was staggering, and the reserves one would need to possess to make it exist in this world permanently—for both spiritual energies were pulled from somewhere only the kami visited—were many times that.

Now that the young heir thought about it, Kagome hadn't created a Demon Blade (which were named such regardless of whether or not they actually had a blade on them), because she hadn't used demonic energy. Calling it a Miko Blade seemed wrong, but he couldn't think of anything else.

Suddenly, he realized what it was.

A Soul Blade.

Now that that was settled, he returned to his musings. To hold that much power, and be able to shape it as she wished with her poor training was astounding, unbelievable if he hadn't just witnessed it. Her command of reiki was instinctual and organic, unlike that which results from rigorous training. One had to be born with that talent to have it.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Kagome lifted the pure, pale bow with silver kunai-like blades on each end and it began to glow with a staggering amount of holy energy. He felt the youki in him instinctively rising to answer it, but he repressed the urge. Then all of the reiki was absorbed into the bow, completing the process of making it tangible. It was done.

Kagome bubbled, "Shiro, it's amazing! She's so much more than I thought she'd be; it's like . . . like she's a part of me, a part of my soul!"

"She is. She is the embodiment of your ability to use spiritual energy; if she is destroyed, you will no longer have your powers, and you will never be able to create another," he told her gravely.

"What? Why didn't you tell me that before?" she cried frantically, moving to protect her bow from any random enemy that might emerge from the environment.

"You didn't let me finish . . ."

She growled in incredulous frustration.

"What's her name?" he asked, curious about the bow.

"Hikarikiyoi," Kagome replied, looking down at it for the first time and running her hands over it in wonder. "Huh. She doesn't look exactly like what I imagined. . . ." she mused.

"Soul Blades almost never do. They're manifestations of your soul; they will reflect your personality, and your needs. It's not something that has been studied extensively."

"Oh . . . that's useful . . ." She gazed at it lovingly, and giggled as it apparently said something humorous.

Most Soulweapons weren't known for their light personalities (in fact, most were known for their sobriety and disdainful dignity); perhaps it had something to do with the nature of the spiritual power used . . .?

Her deep blue orbs widened, and he could almost hear her say "Really?"

Then she did something amazing.

Twirling Hikarikiyoi in front of her and over her head somewhat awkwardly, she shoved it down along her spine on the third spin and suddenly, there was a flash of light and it was gone.

"What . . . just happened . . ." she breathed.

Taken aback, he barely collected himself enough to reply, "Spiritual and demonic energy doesn't come from this world. It originates as one source in the realm of the kami; demons are naturally able to channel it as youki, but only a few humans are capable of doing so as reiki."

"That's very interesting, but I was more curious about what the _hell_ I did just now with my bow."

"You stored it in that realm. Your bond remains, but it is no longer physically here."

She gave him a '_No shit_' look, and he continued with his impromptu lecture. "Since the bow technically came from that world, it can stay there for as long as you want it to be there. The method of storage is different for every pair of person and weapon; it is impossible to replicate. Magic from the Days Before prevents one from trying."

"Alright, then." Kagome promised herself to ask him what the Days Before were, but turned her attention to the more pressing issue. "How do I get her back?"

Shiro gave her a blank face as a response.

She rolled her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows, likely communicating with Hikarikiyoi, then nodded decisively. She executed the complex motion again, this time in the opposite direction, then pulled up from the juncture of her head and neck. Hikarikiyoi materialized in her grasp, and she smirked in accomplishment. Then she put it back in the kami world, which was probably the best idea for now.

"Kagome," he began, having just thought of something rather important, "where are your arrows?"

Her face paled, before she laughed it off breezily. "Oh, don't worry, I can make those, easy." A strong sense of déjà-vu overcame him.

She decided to demonstrate how awesome she was. She straightened her arm and held her right hand out to the side and let her reiki swirl from her stomach, up to her shoulder and down to her fist, morphing into a very pale-cream arrow with a delicate swan feather attached to it. The same kind of metal that tipped Hikarikiyoi formed the arrowhead, but it was slightly smaller and flatter.

"Using the influence of Hikarikiyoi, creating the arrows is a simple matter of putting my energy in the right place," she explained as he stared at her incredulously.

Then Kagome was up and grinning as she flailed around in a ridiculous imitation of a proper kata with the arrow, apparently pretending that it was a dagger. She was in dire need of training in multiple areas, it seemed.

"Kagome, come here," he intoned in a voice that made Kagome remember her age momentarily.

"Yes, Shiro?" she inquired, skipping back over to where he sat calmly.

"One would hold a dagger closer to the blade, when training," he advised.

"Oh . . . okay . . ."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_**Kagome, summon me.**_

It was Hikarikiyoi. Kagome really liked her new bow; she was very pretty and helpful and wise.

And did she mention pretty?

Shrugging as Hikarikiyoi's laughter pealed in her head, she ran through the motion necessary with more ease than the first time. As she appeared, Hikarikiyoi instructed, _**Put your hands at the base of each blade. Now run your reiki through me and pull apart.**_

She did as she was told, and almost fell flat on her rear as her bow split into two daggers whose hilts were the same slender, ivory material her bow and arrows were made of; on the daggers, though, the horn was thicker to support the impact of many blows. It had a surprising amount of traction due to tiny engravings that she couldn't quite make out. The blades on the ends of her bow formed the razor-sharp ends of the daggers, and the kanji for their names was gracefully engraved in black on the quicksilver-like metal near the hilt.

Hikari and Kiyoi.

There was an intricate pattern of shadows on the horn due to the carvings, giving it extra depth and mystery, and the blades themselves glinted and appeared as if they would melt as she gazed at them in wonder.

Now, two voices rang in her mind.

_**We are useful, are we not?**_ Kagome wasn't sure if Hikari and Kiyoi meant them or Hikarikiyoi and Kagome. Either way, she didn't care, as it essentially meant the same thing.

_Most definitely_, she replied with a grin, even as Shiro's jaw went slack.

Oh, the slip of a miko was going to have some _fun_ with her new toys . . .

Shiro decided not to comment on the manic look in her eyes.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**I really, really love Hikarikiyoi. If anyone has any advice on weapon terminology, though, I'd really appreciate it. I really don't know anything about the subject.**

**So we're getting into the backbone of Bird, woohoo! The next few chapters will be their adventures on the road and such. Maybe even a glance back in the Feudal Era to see how things are running…? Only time (and I) can tell!**

**Love,**

**~Kamibi**


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an affixation with alliteration.

~Kamibi

"Kagome," Shiro started a bit uncomfortably, not looking directly at her as she stored her Soul Blade in the kami realm, "I think you are in dire need of new clothing."

"Huh?" she asked blankly, still on an adrenaline high from the recent skirmish with a small youkai. "What for?"

He felt the desire to smack himself for saying what he said next. "Your current garments are in tatters."

She looked down at herself. "Agh! Holy Hell, how did that happen?" she shrieked, instantly flushing a bright red and attempting to cover herself. Hikarikiyoi began to laugh at her.

"We've been encountering a variety of hostile personalities and trekking through nature for a while, and I always thought that the clothes you wore wouldn't last very long," he told her.

Kagome almost screamed at him for answering a rhetorical question. She was already mad about his seeing her in such in an exposed state.

"Shiro," she said calmly, clenching and unclenching her fists, "would you be a dear and go get me a new outfit?"

He sighed and thought about protesting, but thought better of asking her to come with him. Turning on his heel, he took to the skies on a youki cloud and scanned the trees below him for a human settlement.

_I'd rather not have a score of unseemly men ogling the only pack member I have_, he mused.

_**That and you'd be jealous of them**_, his Inner Youkai snickered.

Shiro did not deign to reply.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kagome bustled around camp, picking up the mess that the fight had caused and thought about how her clothes become so . . . destroyed.

_I suppose they were already worn from being used for three weeks straight, and the reiki I circulated throughout myself to defend against the slug's acid attacks probably didn't also protect my clothing . . ._

Oh. So that was how.

And suddenly, she felt very guilty about being angry with Shiro. She vowed to apologize to her companion as soon as he returned, and began to practice controlling her spiritual power while she waited.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Sighing again, Shiro maneuvered between the throngs of sweaty, dirty humans and spotted a clothing store that would meet his needs. Luckily, they had only been forty miles northeast of a bustling trade center, so it was a simple matter of flying for about an hour. The problem was finding a shop in the cluttered market that sold quality garments.

His disposition brightened as he weaved through the crowd to reach the stand and purchased the most suitable option available. He managed to get a huge discount by flaring a bit of his aura at the unsuspecting civilian. Grinning, he tucked the package into his haori and took off into the skies.

_**A little more, and he would've been paying **_**us**_** just to leave**_, his Inner Youkai laughed.

_And he would've reported us to the guards and we would've caused trouble for Father_, he replied sternly.

_**Such a buzz kill. No wonder you haven't found a mate yet.**_

As per the usual, his childish antics were completely ignored by the stoic prince.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kagome had worn a trail in the grass with her pacing and effectively scared off every animal or youkai in the surrounding area with a few uncontrollable bursts of her aura. The minor guilt over her behavior with her companion had grown into a crushing sense of remorse, bolstered by the fact that she hadn't seen or spoken with any of her loved ones in weeks. All of the negative emotions she'd been repressing coalesced now into a mess of a miko.

Needless to say, she wasn't very happy. Where was Shiro? He'd been gone for two days. . . .

Okay, maybe not _two_ days, more like one . . .

Or possibly three hours. . . .

Well, whatever, either way, he was taking _way too long_. Just as she was gearing up for another fit of anxiety and anger that would end in another flare of energy, her missing companion swooped in with a bulge in his shirt and a small grin on his face.

She couldn't help it. All the emotions that had dealt with over the past several hours rushed back to her, along with a very strong sense of relief.

She burst into tears.

Confused, Shiro walked closer to her to ask what was wrong, which put him within striking distance of Kagome's hug-attack.

He honestly did not see that one coming.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

What was he supposed to do with a sobbing ningen onna? If he didn't even know how to handle a _youkai_ female, how was he supposed to comfort a human one?

He patted her back reluctantly, gaining confidence and rubbing in circles. Oh, the excitement.

"I . . . missed you . . . and . . . I'm sorry," she choked out through his now-stained silk and the rush of tears from her eyes.

" . . . It is perfectly fine with this one, Kagome," he replied. There, that sounded like he knew what she was talking about. He congratulated himself on the expert maneuver.

_It's not so bad; all I must do is utilize my knowledge of diplomacy and apply it to this situation_.

_**If she keeps this up, she's going to soak through **_**her**_** clothes, too**__,_ his Inner Youkai mused.

Oh, that's right. He needed to give her the clothes he had procured at the market, and remind her of her . . . _indecency_ before she attacked him for being a 'pervert.'

"Miko, your current state of dress is rather . . . _improper_, especially with the close contact you are committing with my person . . . " he awkwarded. Never had 'awkwarded' been a word before, because it had never been necessary.

It was necessary.

Blush. She really was pretty cute, mathematical and combat failures aside.

"Sorry, Shiro," she got out, her eyes dry under the heat of her scarlet cheeks, clambering to her feet. "Um . . . if I could. . . ." Her hand was held out humbly and she didn't meet his eyes.

He passed her the package that was held together with rough twine that a housewife had probably made.

As it fell open expertly with the help of her dainty, nimble fingers, she caught sight of his gift and gasped.

Her eyes watered again. Shiro despaired.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_This . . . Shiro got me . . .how . . . _

This was _perfect._

_**Agreed, Kagome**__,_ Hikarikiyoi commented, awed.

Since Kikyou had trained her officially as a miko, Kagome had longed for her own priestess uniform because of its practicality and warmth during the colder months (like, now), not to mention the various spells, wards, and charms woven into it that made it as immortal as a Daiyoukai. Sadly, Kagome had quickly discovered that Kikyou had acquired her own uniform from her mother, and because of that, her hakama were a bright vermillion. Different families of miko sported varied colors, passed down from one generation to the next because they had stopped being produced centuries before the Feudal Era.

Kagome, as a miko from the future, had no clan of priestesses, having inherited her holy powers from an unknown place, and thus, no miko mother to give her her rightful inheritance. It had always been a secret wish, an impossible desire for her to possess her own garb. It wasn't about the clothes, it was about being fully recognized as a priestess of power, as was her right. That uniform declared to one and all, _I am a miko of strength and dignity._

Also, it covered her bum, unlike that flimsy school uniform. Stupid Modern Era.

In her hands . . . was miko attire.

But this was the highest-quality set she had ever seen, softer than Kikyou's, and thrumming with power that had long ago faded from her previous incarnation's. Best of all, it wasn't that garish scarlet.

These hakama were the exact same shade as her eyes; eyes that were currently spilling over, but she didn't notice.

Shiro remembered her eye color. A deep, sapphire blue, almost navy, but brighter. It was the purest shade of blue she had ever seen on cloth.

She gasped in stuttering inhalations, then ran into the woods to try it on.

_But seriously, what's up with all the waterworks? Am I on my period, or something?_

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro was really, really confused.

She had started crying, but her aura and scent only gave off levels of extreme happiness.

He patted himself on the back for managing to buy hakama that matched her orbs completely on accident—_**Or was it "completely on accident?"**_ His Inner Youkai commented cryptically—and then managing to gladden her after she broke down crying.

A Happy Kagome was far superior to any other kind of Kagome.

Then, she had run off, which really threw him for a loop, but since she seemed like she had every intention of returning to him, he let her go.

Which led him to the current moment, pondering ningen onna and their strange ways of expressing joy. In the youkai world, tears were a sign of sadness, and he had a sneaking suspicion that this applied to everyone else, as well.

_Kagome is weird_, he concluded with a tone of finality.

He snorted, then forgot everything he had been thinking about before that moment as Kagome emerged from the tree line, smoothing out her clothing as a nervous tick.

She had somehow unknotted her tangled hair completely, revealing its glossy, ebony nature as it shimmered down to her lower back. She smelled of her own, soothing scent and also the cool brook a few feet away, which meant she had rinsed herself of the grime she had accumulated over their travels. And it showed; her pale, oh-so-lightly tanned skin was absolutely _glowing_ in the fading sun. He was right; the pristine top complimented her skin tone, instead of clashing with it, and her pants were the same shade as her glistening eyes.

_**Not quite**_, his Inner Youkai's voice floated to him through the haze Kagome had generated. _**Her eyes are swirling pools of the bluest gem and the darkest twilit sky. While indeed a most comely azure, the hakama do not even come close to Our Miko's Soul Windows.**_

He frequently used odd adjectives and nouns, but it seemed fitting.

Returning to what was important, Shiro noticed Hikarikiyoi slung across her shoulders, exactly where it should be. He frowned as he eyed the twin blades; he really needed to teach her how to fight with those . . .

Kagome bit her lip, drawing his gaze to the worried flesh.

"Um . . . hi," she muttered shyly.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_**Holy Hell Holy Hell Holy Hell! If you don't kiss her right now, I will because she is damn cute! **_his Inner shrieked unintelligently.

Deciding not to say that aloud (and mentally smacking the Hell out of his Inner Youkai), Shiro granted her an admiring smile, and said "Kagome, you are a vision to eyes in need of a blessing from the Kami."

She giggled, "That would be the worst pick-up line ever, but seeing as we're friends, thank you." Her eyes suddenly became more serious. "Shiro. I really, really appreciate this gift. You don't know how I've always longed for my own priestess garb. Thank you."

He grinned lopsidedly, completely distracting her for a moment with those shining white canines. Kagome was suddenly very aware of how often he'd been smiling lately, as opposed to when they first met.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro was very, very glad that she appreciated the garments. But now, she needed the expertise to go with her new outfit. Recalling a distant, offhand mentioning by the miko in question, he cobbled together a sentence.

"Train daggers like would you?" flew out of his mouth before his filters caught up.

"What?" Kagome asked, apparently not expecting such a moment of stupidity to appear in Shiro's words. He cursed his Inner Youkai. The beast _giggle__d_ at him.

"I meant, would you like it if I trained you in the art of wielding dual blades?" He coughed a little to hide his non-blush. Dignified, disciplined Daiyoukai don't blush.

She lit up even further. "Yes, Shiro, please! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

A squeal was her battle-cry, and his only warning that a flying miko was coming his way. This time, more prepared than the last, he caught her and used her momentum to spin in a circle, as opposed to falling straight backwards.

Time froze, as it was wont to do when the two of them were in the same place, and they both gladly lost their ways in the other's smile, Kagome's bright and Shiro's more reserved, but gentle nonetheless.

Then the girl landed her feet back on the ground, and their moment was over.

However, something had changed again in the fabric of the Universe, something that most humans would completely ignore.

Hikarikiyoi chuckled.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Four days later, Kagome was sore, aching, and stiff, but she had never been more satisfied.

_Earlier in the Week_

"Alright, Kagome, let's see what you know so far," Shiro said, slipping into the role of her mentor.

Kagome stood completely still with an apologetic smile.

He sighed. The basics, then.

"Draw your weapon."

Kagome lit Hikarikiyoi with her reiki, then easily pulled the bow into the daggers, which were slightly different than the bow. For one, they had little etchings of crescent moons (he wasn't going to read too deeply into the symbol of the Inuyoukai being on her Soul Blade) that Kagome probably couldn't see with her human vision. The engravings gave the handles a traction the smooth, slender long bow didn't have. Also, they were slightly stouter, but just as easy for Kagome to grip. Gracefully curved toward the wielder, the bright, gleaming silver the shade of his own hair (also not going to analyze that one) fit in with the soft ivory sheen of the hilt.

All in all, they were obviously a female's blades, but but they did not sacrifice any of their lethality. He was pleased.

Shiro began, "Alright, let's see you hold them," correcting her hands as needed until they naturally fell into place. She was a pretty quick learner, and only showed eagerness for him to teach her.

"Now, come at me." He stood stalk-still, waiting for her to run at him wildly, yet with reservations, due to her unwillingness to attack him.

She did neither. She looked at him, sizing him up, flared her aura, then ran straight at him.

But the way she placed her feet were too calculated for a simple mindless charge. Just as she was close enough to swing, she pushed most of her reiki in her aura to the high left, tricking Shiro's instincts into believing she was aiming for his face. His arms came up to guard, and she ducked to the low right, pressing Hikari against his side, but leaving Kiyoi at an odd angle behind her. Shiro took this opening, slithering away from her holy dagger and pinning her left hand, the one holding Kiyoi, against her back, palm up. He grabbed her right hand, and smoothly touched Hikari and Kiyoi together, effectively rendering his apprentice motionless.

"Good," he whispered, leaning in close to her ear. It was true; most students (himself not included) just charged directly at their opponent with no plan at all, and a loud cry. She had done well.

"But not good enough," her wry response came, and he could almost see the faint quirking of her lips.

He shook his head and blew on the shell of her ear to get her attention (his Inner cheered in encouragement); she tensed. "Learn to take a compliment. You'll get better."

Kagome reddened from Shiro's voice and Hikarikiyoi's chuckling tag-teaming her modesty.

_End Flashback_

From there, Shiro had showed her different strategies and various kata to warm up before a training session. She had the first level _down_, and was almost done with the second. In total, there were twelve levels; Kagome was torn between determination, anticipation, and dismay.

And in the eye of her swirling world, Shiro sat calmly with his tea cup and uncomfortable yoga position.

"Kagome, are you up for a lesson?" he called, motioning towards the other side of the clearing.

"Hai, Shiro-sensei!" she teased, jumping to her feet and summoning Hikarikiyoi as she ran.

"Good. Let's begin with the first level of kata at twice the speed, shall we?" His boyish grin kept her hopelessness at the difficult assignment at bay, and she replied,

"Why not three?"

A flurry of motion that the Kagome of a week ago would never have been able to keep up with began their class for the day.

Hikarikiyoi glinted in the noon sun.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**So Kagome's finally getting trained. Yes! And I loved the idea of her having her own priestess junk. Sue me.**

**Actually, on second thought, don't. Refer to the disclaimer for reasoning.**

**Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and alerted Bird in the White Cage! Also, I appreciate people visiting my profile. I update it as frequently as I post; actually, more, sadly. These are the more laid-back, fluffy chapters, where Kagome and Shiro adventure around the place. More like plot-bridges, but they're fun to write.**

**In case you didn't notice, I have absolutely no knowledge on anything related to battle/combat. I'm a nerd, not a warrior. If someone could point me in the right direction so as not to completely make a fool of myself, I'd be much obliged. The time line won't be updated for a while, because these are just weeks in 906. Not really much of a difference, chronologically speaking. By the way, this is late-December of the year; just thought you should know.**

**Love,**

**~Kamibi**

_**Edited Author's Note:**_

_**I have decided that the crescent moon that is on Sesshoumaru's and his mother's forehead is found only in Inu-females and sons of the Venom Clan. Male is a recessive gene in that House, so no male Venoms, so no crescent moons. The guys don't typically carry them.**_

_**Love,**_

_**~Kamibi**_


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration fetish.

~Kamibi

"Come on! Attack me, Miko!" he taunted, dancing along just out of her reach.

"Kagome!" she corrected somewhat breathlessly; it was taking all of her strength to keep up with him, and she had to constantly pump reiki into her muscles. Thank Kami, it was healing as well as strengthening, because otherwise, her limbs would be torn clean in half by now, due to the stress.

Still . . . muscles ripping and then healing repeatedly was taking a toll on the student, and she knew that this had to end soon. Or else, the unthinkable would happen (again) . . .

She would lose.

A snarl tore from her throat in a pretty good imitation of Shiro whenever a youkai tried to attack her, thinking her to be the easiest target. He faltered a bit, but not enough to give her an opening.

Damn.

Utilizing the flexibility she had gained from gymnastics, she swung her left hand and Kiyoi up at his head, which he easily dodged, then brought Hikari down closer to his shoulder, which he deflected. Twisting her body, she brought her legs around, jumping and crescent-kicking with her right leg, landing it, then bringing her left leg to follow; that particular kick used the momentum of both her arms and other leg, and, combined with her holy energy, Shiro was unable to dodge it.

Her combo caught him on the side of his left jaw, swinging his head a little in the direction of her kick, before Kagome rushed in under his stunned posture, pressing Kiyoi against his bared neck and Hikari against his side. The blade underneath his ear made him re-think snapping his head back to face forward. She released him, and he looked at her with a wild grin.

Shiro's beautiful, golden eyes were alight with adrenaline and the thrill of a fight, hair attractively mussed and clothes in slight disarray. Her eyes trailed slowly from his eyes to his toes before she realized that she was checking him out. Mentally, the miko freaked out about it until Shiro spoke.

"Higurashi Kagome, you are faster than my claws and fangs," he initiated, still smiling.

"Takahashi Shiro, you are a teacher worthy of my skill," she cheesed largely, continuing the simplistic ancient ritual.

"It has been my honor to train you." A deep bow.

"I have been proud to be your student." Bent at the waist, her body formed a right angle.

"May you have good fortune and skill in your life—"

"—and may the Kami watch over you."

They stood then, somber looks exchanged, and then Kagome flung herself at him.

"Shiro! Thank you, _thank you_!" she squealed into the neck she had just threatened with a dagger. Pulling back a little, she asked, "Are you sure I'm ready?"

He smirked, "I have nothing left to teach you; how you improve from here will depend on how often and whom you fight. Kagome, you are just as ready as I was at seventeen."

She rolled her eyes, "Great, so I just have three centuries to go before I match your current level."

They laughed, and he fell, somehow elegantly, to the grass, setting Kagome across from himself as miko and Inuyoukai conversed.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kagome surprised him sometimes. When he first met her, he thought she was the next Midoriko, with power unrivaled by any. Then, as he got to know her, he discovered her ineptitude for arithmetic and her ridiculously huge failures of combat.

Now, she seemed like someone who was in reach of becoming truly great, one for the history lessons of the future.

Engaged in a relaxed session of _Who is Higurashi Kagome?_ once more as he waited for the tiny girl to return from her bath (she had gotten "all sweaty and sore," in her words), he completely missed the malevolent aura headed his way.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Somewhere in a hot spring about a quarter of a mile away, a miko sneezed. Her eyes widened, and she rushed out, throwing her clothes on haphazardly and sprinting towards Shiro.

In all her years of adventuring, Kagome had learned something about herself. She never sneezed unless something was terribly wrong.

Even though her muscles throbbed with partially-relieved pain, she pushed them to move faster, summoning a pure white bow as she ran. As she neared her destination, she split the bow into two deadly, graceful daggers, bursting through the tree line to see a powerful Inuyoukai battling a Panther demon.

Blood poured from a wound on the Inuyoukai's shoulder, and suddenly, Kagome felt new hatred for the foreign demon. _No one_ hurt her Shiro (especially when she couldn't . . .). Something snapped inside of her, and Kagome gladly relinquished the reins over her body to the new thing that pleaded to be released.

Silently, she moved on feet lighter than the grass, pumping reiki beneath her to hover slightly. She wondered vaguely if she could make a reiki cloud like the Silver Inu clan could and fly, but now was not the time for experiments.

Now was the time for revenge.

The panther youkai whirled around as it batted Shiro away carelessly, derision in his eyes.

"Oh, look, Mutt; your wench has come to rescue you," he sneered.

"My name . . ." she whispered, " . . . is Kagome, bitch!" The foolish, arrogant demon snarled, but froze still as Kagome rushed him from twenty-five feet away.

_**No, Kagome**__,_ Hikarikiyoi corrected, _**He has not frozen. You move quickly**_**.**

She stored that away for future use, then slashed the demon open from shoulder to heart.

He howled.

"Yeah, doesn't feel so good, _now_, does it?" she laughed sadistically. A spark of fear jumped in the panther's gaze, even as he bled to death. But Kagome wasn't done with him quite yet. "That one was for my Inu. This one," She kicked him right in his ear with a satisfying crunch, and his howls reached a volume that really, really hurt the poor Western Heir's ears. "Is for _me_. DON'T TOUCH MY SHIT, FILTH!" she screamed, as she leaned down faster than anyone could track and cut through his shrieking vocal chords.

Silence. As Kagome looked down at her defeated opponent with revulsion, so too, did an Inuyoukai across the field look at her with new eyes.

Kagome and Hikarikiyoi would lose no sleep over the one that had almost killed their one friend in this era.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro's left side exploded in a starburst of pain, and his vision swam for a few moments. He swung his claws blindly at the enemy, angered that he had been snuck up on. He would never be so relaxed by himself again. The panther—_**Cat!**_ his Inner growled—laughed at him, and batted him into a tree.

As his sight returned, he could make out Kagome on the other side of the clearing. Now they formed a triangle: Kagome across from Shiro across from the Panther across from Kagome.

Then, Kagome disappeared. His vision was completely cleared, now, with shock as she reappeared right in front of the youkai and blood spurted from a wound Kagome had cut into him. He heard Kagome say, "Yeah, doesn't feel so good, _now_, does it?" and she laughed. He scented terror off of the cat as it tried to crawl away, and she spoke again, "That one was for my Inu." _Her_ Inu? When did this happen? And why did she smell of blood, like a killer? "This one," Kagome kicked it in the side of its head, where its ear was. An ungodly shriek sliced the air, and Shiro winced, even as he rolled her claim of him over in his head. "Is for _me_," she continued vindictively. Then, Kagome screamed, "DON'T TOUCH MY SHIT, FILTH!" and beheaded it.

His miko stared down at the broken corpse mercilessly, and Shiro gazed at her in surprise.

She had just behaved like an Inuyoukai female whose mate was threatened, and she was twice as powerful and possessive.

_**I think I like this new Kagome**_, his Inner Beast supplied.

_I am also of that opinion_, Shiro replied. Something primal stirred within him, then, and his eyes reddened.

Damn stomach problems; they always came up around this woman.

Kagome turned to look at him, and she gasped. He winced; great, now he'd scared her. Opening his mouth to apologize and make some random crap up to explain his blood-red eyes—"Stupid cats, I'm allergic to the damn things"—she cried, "Shiro! Your wound!" and then she was right in his face.

Her eyes swam with "I'm so, so sorry," (or maybe she actually said that, he didn't know) and her hair hung in wet locks around her face.

"For what?" he asked, curiously. Crap, he sounded dazed. Better make her talk soon, the dots were back, and his shoulder was beginning to sting.

"For not getting here sooner!" she sobbed, wrapping her arms around him. Her body glowed with a soft light, and just before the dark spots blinded him, the pain abandoned him completely.

_**We will heal you**_, a female voice told him in his head.

_**I know. Thank you**_, his Inner Youkai replied.

A soft chime of laughter that his beast really enjoyed cleared away the fuzzies in his mind, and he fell asleep peacefully.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**I know this one's a lot shorter than the others, but I'm no good at fight scenes, and this was such a perfect place to end it. . . .**

**Kagome went all crazy and curse . . . -y because the panther demon hurt Shiro, and something very bestial inside her took over (to be explained!), but her voice was still her own.**

**I'm really, really unfamiliar with fight scenes. Please don't ditch the story on account of their suckiness.**

**Thanks for reading,**

**~Kamibi**


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration attraction.

~Kamibi

It had been four days since the panther youkai had attacked, and Shiro was beginning to get a little restless.

"Shiro, don't move! You'll hurt yourself!" the girl begged frantically.

He struggled in her reiki-shackles. "I feel _fine_, Kagome! Now let me go! I am perfectly capable of walking around a bit!"

_**Shiro, do not be a fool. Your wounds will reopen**__._ Hikarikiyoi's voice broke through to them both, and he was temporarily silenced. He didn't know that Soul Blades could communicate with people other than their creators.

His shock didn't last long.

Shiro huffed an almost-inaudible "Keh," and turned his nose up haughtily.

"Wow, he's such a perfect combination of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. . . ." Kagome muttered peevishly as she bustled around him, trying to settle him back down on the hides.

"Who?"

"Nobody." She sighed. "Relax your pretty self _now_, or so help me—" Shiro snarled belligerently, and thrashed with renewed vigor. Blood erupted from his shoulder, spurting against the white bandages and soaking them in seconds. His face paled rather abruptly and he sank to his back compliantly.

"See, now you're bleeding again," she chastised, and he whimpered as the pain returned vindictively. It seemed displeased at Kagome's blocking it. He felt something new enter his body that made him feel really, really not-fine. Her tirade ceased immediately, and she rushed to change his bandages, removing the soiled ones and doing some basic first aid (which was all that she could do) with her reiki before wrapping new ones around his shoulder. She tittered affectionately, and he murmured a, "'Sorry, K'gome. . . ."

"It's alright. I just don't like to see you hurt." She stood up. Walking the few paces back to the smoldering fire, she began pouring water and other things into their pot. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, Kagome had shaken him awake, motioning for him to drink the thin soup.

He swallowed it, not tasting the liquid as it made its way down his gullet, warming and appeasing his roiling belly. As his nerves were returning to him, Kagome pressed a luminous hand against his injury, cleaning and clotting it once more as it began to leak. Shiro's eyes fluttered closed again, and he passed into sleep.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Hours later, Shiro still hadn't recovered from his ailment, and it was beginning to worry Kagome as his condition only worsened.

_**He is not well, Kagome**_, Hikarikiyoi fretted in her head. _**Perhaps that panther youkai did something to him beyond the physical wound?**_ It was a possibility.

She should have made that cat suffer a whole lot more than she did before she killed him.

_**You are not a bitter person, Kagome**_, Hikarikiyoi reprimanded. After a pause, though, she continued,_** In this case, however, your shameful thoughts may be excused.**_

In other words, Hikarikiyoi agreed. But what was she to do about it?

Something she had heard of in her birth time came to her. The doctors had gone inside of the patient's body with a high-tech object of some sort to find and close the source of the blood leakage. . . . Could Kagome do that with pure energy without purifying her partner? Shiro had already proven that he was immune to reiki, but did that extend to his internal organs?

A glance at his sweating, pallid face and fitfully fluttering eyelids cemented her decision. He would die otherwise. Even with her limited abilities, Kagome could see that. Breathing a deep breath, she knelt beside him, and placed an affectionate kiss on his damp and uncomfortably-warm brow. _I would risk anything for you . . . even you._ The priestess smoothed her cool hand over his forehead, and closed her eyes. It was going to take all of her concentration to do this successfully, so she threw a barrier up around them.

Kagome detached herself from her physical body. As she separated soul and body for the first time, Kagome was almost swept away in the tide of power that the Earth naturally possessed, not quite reiki or youki. She floated completely from her mortal bindings, and watched herself slump forward. Satisfied that she wasn't going anywhere, she dove into Shiro.

_PainagonyconfusionPAIN_

Caught by surprise, she involuntarily jerked away from him, instead floating above. Sorrow welled in her as she gazed at him; she eased back in, carefully keeping herself apart from his anguish. Following the flow of his youki to his shoulder, she barely kept herself whole in the tumultuous waves it churned in. It seemed like he was fighting himself. A dark red clashed with an equally-sinister green, which she vaguely recognized as the color of the panther's aura.

Hikarikiyoi was right.

Arriving at the shoulder, she saw a well of the dead-forest hue leaking into his system. Wherever it came into contact with the scarlet, a hissing resounded and a spike in his torment soon followed.

Kagome had never seen anything like it. It was like a youki-poison; wherever the foreign energy touched the host, it looked like it was burned. Her mere presence, however, seemed to be purifying it.

The crimson appeared to welcome her, surrounding her and protecting her from the dangerous environment. Her perception suddenly changed, and she instead saw that vile panther grappling with her Inu friend.

Except it wasn't quite her friend. His markings were more jagged and wild, his hair less neat, his eyes smoldering the same wine red of his youki. Elongated fangs hung from his upper jaw, and even as he battled the intruder, he sent her a charming wink.

Kagome was nonplussed for all of a second before she joined in on the brawl, exercising the training that Shiro had given her. Under the pressure of both miko and Inu, the panther quickly dissolved, hissing as he faded.

"Thanks for that; I've been battling him for what seems like days. Caught me off guard, that one did," he told her.

"I'm just glad I thought of this," Kagome replied truthfully.

He laughed, "Me, too. I was just about to lose to that disgusting cat when you showed up. I always can count on my beautiful Kagome."

She blushed under his animalistic stare. "Who are you, again . . . ?"

"Me? I'm Shiro, of course! Just his baser self, the one he keeps locked up. I hold the cool stuff like instincts and primal emotions, he got the logic and intelligence and reasoning and refined feelings and crap," he explained.

"Oh, that's kind of cool," she noted.

"It is," he agreed seriously, before switching topics. "It was nice speaking to you directly, Kagome, but I think it's time you left. I'm all better now, and I'll start absorbing you into me if you linger."

She paled. "Oh, yes, of course." As she turned to leave, Shiro's Inner Youkai grasped her hand and pulled her in close. "I'm going to keep this as my first memory of you," he whispered into her hair, inhaling at least three lungfuls of her scent. He pushed her gently as the scene disintegrated, "Go, now, my Heart."

Kagome didn't get a chance to question his word choice as she was pulled along by the sparkling ruby-red of his aura back out the way she came. Her spirit sped back into her body, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

_**His inner self is quite beautiful**_**,** Hikarikiyoi spoke.

_It is; such a deep, rich red. It's not pure, which is understandable, but not evil like Naraku, either._

_**I was referring to his Inner Youkai. **_Kagome sputtered. _**I suppose **_**I **_**would be considered your 'Inner Youkai,' but that would mean that it is I who is the less mature one, so perhaps you are my Inner?**_

As Kagome blustered for a snarky response, Shiro's eyes blinked open, and he looked at her, something in his eyes that she couldn't quite read, and then it was hidden.

"Kagome . . ." he rasped, "Could you give me some water, please?"

Without a word, she offered him a cup of boiled water with a few drops of precious honey. He gratefully accepted it, sipping at her soothing concoction until it was gone.

"Thank you," he told her, his deep voice husky with the remnants of his inner battle.

Something told her he wasn't just talking about the water.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Later that day, Shiro was waiting patiently for his miko companion to return from her hunt.

"Eww . . . it's dead. . . ." Kagome made a face and tossed the rabbits at him, throwing herself on a hide. Sending her a look that clearly gave his less-than-impressed opinion of her statement, Shiro cleaned the animal efficiently and with practiced claws that had Kagome's stomach turning in admiring disgust.

It was an odd feeling, and she wasn't entirely comfortable with it, so she rolled over to ponder other things.

Having killed the soft and adorable bunnies by beheading them with Hikari (she had practiced her super-speed), she was distinctly grossed-out. By the time she had finished staring at the mess and debating over taking them back to their encampment, the girl realized that she was almost ten miles away from camp, and the sun was setting. If she didn't get back within ten minutes, she was toast for the Night Baddies.

So she flew. Remembering the move she had used in the fight against that stupid cat demon, she amassed a cloud of reiki underneath her feet, then tentatively moved forward. She almost toppled off of it, so unused to standing on nothing was she. Kagome quickly discovered that she needed to sit down. In the criss-cross applesauce style of first-grade, she floated into their temporary home and tumbled onto her makeshift bedding, tossing the rabbit bodies at Shiro as she fell.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

The Inu was fairly glad that Kagome had missed his expression as she floated in, because if she had seen, his reputation would be ruined.

He was in awe. Daiyoukai don't feel awe.

Shire hadn't known Kagome's exact capabilities, so when he saw that she had enough power to fly ten miles after running at youkai-speed for the same distance, he was astonished. That she was still alive after covering so many miles on her first attempt was amazing; the first time he flew, he could only go a mile before passing out. His father had to catch him from the sky, and Shiro was unable to live that down for a very, very long time.

That really said something about Kagome's reserves.

He was so caught up in his friend's most recent surprise that he almost cut the liver open on the meat. Which he would have eaten gladly, but he had a feeling the human traveling with him would have had her reservations about it.

After Kagome rolled her back to him, he popped one of the organs into his mouth and moaned a little unintentionally at the taste. It was so buttery, delicate, rich, and warm; he didn't understand how ningen could feel disgust at raw meat. Then again, he was really only a dog who had evolved into something more intelligent. Tossing another small piece into his face, he continued cleaning the animal in higher spirits and froze as he felt the weight of Kagome's eyes on him.

"Anyone else," she stated, "I'd be revolted. But you . . ." she glared at him accusingly, "You make it _cute_."

Smiling impishly back at her, he whistled a bit and munched on the entrails happily as Kagome watched. He finished his job with the first rabbit, impaled it on a stick and hung it over the fire. Then he turned his attention to the second, removing the hide and devouring it raw.

His miko stepped over to the roasted rabbit after the appropriate amount of time had passed and began to bite at it, all the while staring at him. He made quick work of the rest of his dinner, then grinned at her after licking his lips and fingers in an exaggerated fashion.

"What? It's healthy for me," he protested.

A sigh. "Good night, Shiro."

"'Night."

Faint traces of his mirth lingered as he gazed into the fire. Lately, he had been in a much better mood, like a weight he hadn't been aware of had been removed. Everything seemed to be brighter and clearer; whatever the cause, Shiro was enjoying this new way of living.

Cleaning up camp and lying down on his hides, he yawned loudly and fell asleep.

Kagome smiled into the darkness.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Dawn threatened the shadows with its upcoming arrival, and Kagome sensed something big coming their way. If it was hostile, it was her against the fiend because there was no way she was letting Shiro fight while still healing. With this thought in mind, she placed some wards over his sleeping form, because she knew he would never willingly abandon her in a battle.

She drew Hikarikiyoi. Somehow, she got the feeling that this one would have been one for the books, had anyone been around to document it. Checking her reserves, she found it to be at full strength once more, having slept and eaten. That was good. She would need it. Running through all of the tricks she knew in her mind, she encountered a list longer than she could name. Switching Hikarikiyoi into different weapons in the blink of an eye, fighting with sheer reiki, utilizing super-speed, flying; these things would come in handy.

Her gaze never faltered on the woods where the creature's roar reached them before the youkai. A fight, then. Shiro stirred, then cursed as he found himself bound by the wards she had immobilized him with. He screamed her name as the massive demon came into sight; it was still very far away, but it loomed over the trees.

It was about thirty times her height, she reckoned, and at five-four, that put it at . . . ah, screw it—the thing was _huge_. At this distance, it looked like a deformed person, but a closer inspection revealed its imperfections. Its limbs were corded with knotted muscle, and it lumbered at a gait that told her it had a weak leg. If all else failed, she could resort to such a dishonorable tactic as attacking it there. Its skin was scaled and hairy in different places, and its eyes shone a sickly yellow.

It looked like a demented hybrid of dragon, bear, and human.

Youki lanced from its fists towards the camp, deflected easily by a well-aimed arrow from its target. A monstrous snarl thundered in across the air. It charged them at a speed that few could escape, but by the time it came to about a quarter of a mile away, a holy arrow seared its right leg from the knee down off, leaving it with two bad legs. This time, its howl was of agony so profound, Kagome felt a little pity for it.

Her blood thundered in her ears, and the adrenaline in her pulse would have been enough to make her entire body shake had she felt it. A panic that threatened to overwhelm her clouded her mind, so she detached herself from it. Now, there was no time for being Kagome. She was a fighter, nothing more, and so she fought.

No mercy made its way into her actions as she fired another arrow, streaking at its head. Hikarikiyoi would never miss a target, this she knew. Her bow was perhaps the only perfect bow in the world, yet she felt no pride at the moment. The demon's bellow was lost to a wet gurgling of liquid, but still, it clambered on closer to their home of that night.

Now, Shiro was yelling at her to run, set him free, but she didn't hear him. If she had, she would have collapsed in terror, for she would have been Kagome enough to feel her horror.

Splitting Hikari and Kiyoi apart, she raced at the demon so quickly, she had severed both of its remaining limbs in a great arc of reiki and leapt away before it could land its step. The trunk of the beast was all that remained, and in a show of compassion that Kagome was begging her to have, she purified it into nothing as it flailed around unnaturally. The warrior finally gave way to the girl, and she fell to her knees in nausea as the sun came over the horizon. Her stomach emptied itself onto the blood-soaked grass, but it wasn't enough to make her utter revulsion disappear.

Unblinking, she stared at the splatters of dark fluid on the meadow, ignoring the tears that made their way down her face. It had suffered so much pain, and she hadn't cared a bit. Its eyes weren't cruel or malevolent; they were just sad. Sad, intelligent, and weary. She wondered why it was attacking them, when its aura was that of a peaceful being, and realized that it was probably only forced to do so. That was the only explanation.

So she mourned for it, because no one else would.

Hikarikiyoi was silent, but comfort and empathy crossed their bond, as unfelt as her weeping.

She released her bindings on Shiro, and glanced at him with such desperate confusion on her face when he touched her shoulder, he sat down beside her, drawing her into his lap. Resting his head on her crown, he crossed his arms around her stomach, and just held her, staying silent as she cried her noiseless, expressionless tears.

_That beast . . . it didn't want to attack us._ Shiro thought. _Then why . . . why do it?_

In a rare moment of solemnity, his Inner answered. _**That hybrid creature . . . it was like something that Kuroaku would create.**_

_Kuroaku has been dead for years._

_**But his son remains.**_

The implications of that statement thundered through his head, but he didn't say a word.

Together, they watched the sun rise for what seemed like the first time, in a pool of dark blood that was quickly evaporating under the heat of a new day.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**I think this story is going to have more depth than I had originally intended, because this was DEFINITELY not in my original plans. Oh, well. I like it, so it stays. If you can review, please, do so. I live off of you guys.**

**Thanks,**

**~Kamibi**


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration fetish.

~Kamibi

She pleaded with the ball of fire fighting its way into the sky, begging justification for her actions from its eternal wisdom.

_**Do you regret it?**_ Hikarikiyoi broke in.

_No. I had to protect Shiro._ Kagome was surprised with the lack of hesitation in her answer, but found it to be true.

_**Was killing the Hybrid worth saving him?**_

_Absolutely. I'd do it again a thousand times, and live with the guilt of it, without any reservations if he was on the line__**.**_ Once again, her boldness startled her.

_**Then why do you feel your shame?**_

_Because I took an innocent life . . . but if I hadn't, Shiro would have been lost, and that is something worth regretting._ Okay, Kagome was fairly certain that someone had snuck into her head and was now making her say these things. Even as she frantically searched her brain, her stomach gurgled and Hikarikiyoi's mirth bubbled over.

_**Little One, do you still feel fault?**_

_No . . . I understand. I would not change a thing were I to go back in time, because then I would be without my friend. If I understood what I was fighting for then, I should be able to deal with the consequences now._

They stilled and Kagome took some time to enjoy the sunrise, letting Hikarikiyoi's ironic nickname for her slide. She noted that her rear wasn't as wet as she thought it would be, and that she was slightly more elevated than usual, and that arms with dark blue stripes on the wrists were wrapped around her tummy. . . .

Holy crap. She was sitting on the man—_youkai—_for whom she had just killed.

_**Be still. Enjoy this while it lasts.**_

So Kagome did just that, losing herself to the start of another, unique day and the feel of the Inu's warmth.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

The ebony-crowned priestess shook herself back into reality. She still felt blame over extinguishing another life, but Hikarikiyoi's counsel really helped her pull through.

Now, however, it was time to return to their daily lives. Kagome stood up, and thanked Kami that she had such a thoughtful companion; both for being her seat and procuring her increasingly-helpful miko uniform.

Not one drop of blood remained on her clothing! The charms on it must have been more powerful than she thought . . .

She looked at the aforementioned thoughtful companion, and giggled a bit at his wrinkled silk. She wasn't aware that silk even _could_ wrinkle, so this was a nice surprise for her mischievous side. The youkai she cared for was almost shining in the sunlight, his entire visage dyed a soft gold that drew the eye to his swirling orbs. His silver hair was a luminescent white gold, the navy blue hakama and green-tea colored obi tying in with his current tones nicely. His simple, elegant white haori and perfectly neat hair accentuated his high cheekbones and noble blue markings that declared his royal stature, and once again, Kagome's eyes fell on his. More open than Sesshoumaru's, more reserved than Inuyasha's, his eyes were a pure, untainted gold, as opposed to his sons' amber tints. They blinked, and languidly swung up to meet hers. She would remember that moment forever, as their gazes touched; if she ever became an artist, she would make this scene her masterpiece.

"I do not mean to insult, but you are a lot heavier than you look, Miko," he complained, words delivered with a deep yet boyish voice that told her it was still maturing. And mature, he would need to do.

Kagome's irritation broke as he effectively killed her moment, and she screamed, "SIT!" and stormed off to pack up the camp.

Shiro's eyebrow rose as she screamed that particular term. He wondered what that meant and pitied the poor fool for whom it was intended, because she only said that in times of extreme frustration. Whoever prompted whatever awful punishment followed her phrase was surely a pitiful being, indeed.

Shrugging, he rose to follow her, shaking out his legs until they woke. He frowned as he discovered the blood drenching his clothes, then thanked the Kami for spider-youkai silk.

He had purchased this material specifically for its ability to conduct youki and clean itself as it passed through. It was very light, comfortable, and practical.

Classy, too. Very impressive material.

As he shook himself free of the gore with an explosion of youki, Kagome eyed him strangely even as she tossed their stuff (his stuff, really; Kagome had brought nothing with her) into a sack made of the hides they slept on. Just as he finished strolling over to her, she threw a—_fragile!—_thing-a-ma-bob he had gotten from somewhere in the East into the makeshift pack. He winced as a shattering sound erupted from it, but held his tongue.

Laughter. Damn stupid Inner Youkai. . . .

The last vestiges of her petulant anger were sent to him in the form of an evil-eye, and then it dissipated and his Kagome was back to normal. She wordlessly passed him the maybe-130 pound-bag; they alternated between carrying it, with him bearing its weight for the greater overall duration, seeing as she was much smaller than he. It was actually surprisingly light, given that it held only one thing (minus his trinkets), and that was their crude cast-iron pot that a fire-breathing youkai had melted from a chunk of metal per his request. It was pretty advanced, given the day and age, but inefficient. The hides themselves were around 60 pounds. If the pot was around 80 pounds and the hides were 60. . . .

Kami, was a habit to do slow arithmetic contagious?

. . . Approximately 140 pounds was the total weight of the sack. Six or seven almost-weightless treasures he had rescued from certain doom made up for maybe 5 pounds, so it was about 145 pounds.

So he was off by fifteen. It was a pretty good estimate.

He shouldered the pack effortlessly, trickling youki steadily into his muscles so as to not strain them too much and support the weight simultaneously.

They left the clearing after wiping it clean of any traces of their stay.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Shiro, look at this flower!" Kagome pointed at a flower somewhere in the multitudes of blooms around them, and Shiro found it in his best interest to pretend like he knew which one she was gesturing at.

"Yes, that species is quite unique, with a beauty few can contest," he commented sagely. She beamed at him, then plucked it from its place. It actually was quite the looker; deep violet and delicate. If he had to guess, he'd say maybe some type of iris.

To his amazement, she blushed prettily, then stuck the blossom into his ponytail, smiling a little even as he stared at her.

"You . . . you just put a purple flower in my hair," he stated, awed.

"Yes, indeed I did," she replied nonchalantly. Shiro shook his head slowly, then sighed, and pulled Kagome from the flower patch off the side of the road that meandered through the dense woods.

"Come. We have lingered here long enough, and it is time we moved on," he intoned. Kagome made a pondering face and asked him, "Is there any specific place we're headed? I mean, we've been wandering for a couple weeks, now, and you've never told me of a destination."

Just as he opened his mouth to answer, a strange presence clambered into their section of the path.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Daisuke's furred feet padded soundlessly over the flora, headed in the direction of his target. Somewhat gaudy yellow and blue robes fluttered after him, and his ponytail trailed after his sprint. His large green eyes observed everything with an innocence that few youkai possessed. He stood at about five feet, seven inches.

In essence, he was of greater stuff than human standards, but rather unimpressive for demons.

Which was just as well. It helped him stay out of trouble during his deliveries.

The presence he was looking for grew closer and closer, and he could vaguely make out his mark's voice, and that of a woman.

_Interesting. . . ._

He burst into the opening in the trees where they stood, stoic expression firmly in place as he recited his speech.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

A youkai with fuzzy brown ears, paws on all four of his limbs, and whiskers interrupted Shiro's answer, and Kagome was slightly annoyed, but intrigued with the rather adorable Inu. For he was an Inu, that she was sure of.

_Hmm . . . if Shiro's a Silver Inu, would that make this one a . . . dirt Inu?_ Kagome wondered, giggling in her head.

_**I doubt that. Perhaps just "Brown Inu" is his species**_**.** Kagome made a mental note to ask Shiro about it after the stranger left. A thought occurred to her.

_Why does he look like Shippou? In that he has paws and stuff, I mean._

_**Remember what you know of youkai. Few possess the ability to appear completely human like Sesshoumaru and Shiro. Perhaps this one is of average strength, able to look slightly ningen, but without the power to complete the transition.**_

_So . . . he's powerful, but I could probably beat him?_

_**Probably? Little One, do you intend to insult my abilities? Of course we would emerge victorius! Weeks ago, the answer would have been "no," but now, things are slightly different. He is strong, but you are stronger.**_

Kagome fluffed a bit, then returned her attention to the conversation. She caught the tail end of his long-winded declaration.

" . . . by your most Esteemed and Honorable Father, Sato the Wise," he finished with a flourish, removing an elegantly-bound scroll from his back. She admired his dexterity given that he lacked opposable thumbs, then peeked over Shiro's shoulder as he fluidly caught and opened it.

_Why is every noble youkai so damned graceful?_

_**Kagome, now is not the time to be jealous. Read the message its messenger has brought.**_

So she looked.

_Takahashi Shiro_

_Heir and Prince to the Western Lands_

_It is time to fulfill the contract signed at your birth._

_Return to the castle immediately._

_Takahashi Sato_

_Lord of the Western Lands_

Succinct and cryptic, Kagome had never been more curious than she was at that moment. She glanced up to ask the messenger about it. He threw a questioning look at her, then turned on his heel and melted into the surrounding greenery.

Shrugging, Kagome then moved to inquire her companion of its meaning, but when she saw his face, his eyes were hooded and guarded, and he was as detached as his eldest son. A side of him that she hadn't seen since they first met; she quickly decided that she didn't like it.

The priestess couldn't feel his aura when she checked for his emotions. That scared her more than anything; Shiro was always so open with her.

"Shiro, are you alright?" she voiced her concern.

"Miko, you shall refer to this one as 'Prince Shiro' while in his presence," he told her coldly, ignoring her confused expression. The silver Inu neglected to inform her of his change of attitude, and she was too hurt to ask.

_What did I do wrong? I don't understand . . . we were being so pleasant!_ Kagome lost control of herself in her brain, devastated and panicking to Hikarikiyoi. For that matter, why did it hold so much impact with her? Had she gotten so attached in the month she'd spent with him?

Shiro's Inner Youkai was behaving similarly; except he was _angry_.

_**SHIRO! Go back and apologize! Explain the damn scroll! Dammit, you can't drive her away!**_

He didn't respond.

_**SHIRO!**_

The iris fell from his head, its delicate petals crushed by its own weight as Kagome wordlessly followed her companion, who continued onwards with their journey.

A drop of nectar made its way from its stunning throat, collecting on a petal until it finally fell to the dirt. Neither miko nor youkai noticed its single tear as they moved on, leaving it behind.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, okay. So this one was more of a transition chapter…not every segment can be a huge, life-changing event. Thanks for reading, and if you could review, I'd be one happy thirteen-year-old chick!**

**~Kamibi**


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration fetish.

~Kamibi

It started with the little things. At first, it was the seat at the campfire.

_About a Week Ago_

Kagome was settling into her usual spot around their nightly flame, on her favorite Inu's right side, when he growled at her.

She really should have expected it. He had been acting so strangely since that damn messenger screwed up their relationship earlier. . . .

But she didn't. She was completely blindsided by the terrifying, guttural warning he issued to her.

"_Come no closer_."

So she obeyed, moving herself to the other side, where she stared forlornly into the blaze, wondering what she had done.

_End Scene_

Then it was the training sessions.

_The Day after the Campfire Thing_

"Kagome, get up," he commanded. Without a thought, she obeyed.

His face transformed into a grimace of pure loathing; eyes narrowed at her, upper lip curled in a gruesome snarl, shadows entering their un-life as the creases in his face formed and deepened. A flash of crimson entered his eyes, and his claws and fangs lengthened for a moment.

Then it was gone, the expression of utter hatred replaced by his usual mask of blankness. Kagome couldn't decide which was worse.

Then he rushed at her faster than he ever had before.

Theirs was a blinding battle of speed, agility, strength, and cunning. Where she lacked, he made up for and more. He had no cracks in his defenses, no chinks in his armor.

That night, as his back was turned to her, she allowed a single tear to slip from her eye as she healed her various cuts and bruises.

_End Scene_

Gods, and then . . .

_Several Days Ago_

She had had enough of the icy aloofness, the haughty sneers, the fire-charged glares. He was such a paradox, but she was done wondering when he'd smile and say, "_Just kidding._"

The beaten miko confronted the heartless dog.

"Shiro! What the hell is wrong with you? Why have you been so cruel lately? What have I screwed up so badly so as to deserve this?" she cried as he was busy ignoring her one evening. His head turned slightly in her direction, and when she next blinked, she found herself pinned to a tree by his formidable claws around her throat. She hung perfectly still, feeling the large plant rock with the force of his strike, not risking her life in the hands of the one she once trusted to protect it no matter what.

The one she once trusted with _everything_, and who took what she gave and returned it mangled and broken.

His body was struggling to remain in his more humanoid form as his Inner Youkai attempted to take over. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her face, but she made neither sound nor expression nor movement, lest she incite his anger.

"Do not . . . speak to me . . . with such . . . dis- . . . respect . . . _Bitch_," he ground out through resisting his transformation. Oh Gods, her chest hurt so much! It was like it was _empty_, like he had just torn something out and crushed it, something important and tender and vital—

"_NO!_ . . . Kagome, I'm . . . sorry!" His voice came through, garbled from speaking behind fangs.

Wait, was his _Inner Youkai_ the one who was trying to make nice with her? A sharp sting sang of a cut's formation on her neck. No, wait, don't breathe too deep, you'll get hurt.

She swiftly decided that now was not the time for such enlightenments as to which identity felt which way.

His eyes widened and in one fraction of a second, she could see his right eye golden and beautiful and despising her, and his left eye ruby and equally stunning and apologetic.

He released her, and disappeared into the woods, leaving her crumpled form at the base of the tree.

_End Scene_

He hadn't returned yet, so she had stayed at their camp and waited, not eating or drinking or sleeping because she just didn't see a point. _The only person I cared about here, and I ruined that. Just like how I ruin everything._ Suddenly, she felt a terrible homesickness and absolute loneliness that her friendship had kept at bay. Her form was growing gaunt and pale, and she could feel the unnaturally soft tissue forming crescents beneath her bloodshot eyes. She was killing herself, and she knew it.

But he was killing her, too.

_Let's make it a race._

_**Kagome, this bitterness ill becomes you**_**,** Hikarikiyoi chastised, speaking to her for the first time since Shiro changed.

No response. Her bow sighed from its resting place in that other demesne, where she was safe from cruel dog demons who made her think they cared and then rejected her.

Like two magnets whose polar sides matched up.

She just couldn't figure out what was wrong!

Curled up into a ball, as had become her favorite position over the past few days, Kagome let her hunger and fatigue and thirst fill her mind, so that the sound of the heart breaking in her breast could be drowned out.

_**Oh, Kagome**_** . . .** a voice whispered sadly, but she was too lost amongst the strong sensations to pay much mind to it.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Oh, Gods above and Hell's Bells combined, _no_. Not yet; he still had a few decades before he had to fulfill that stupid agreement.

_What do I do?_

Shiro stared down at the parchment in disbelief, glaring at it as if such heat would make it combust, before looking up to watch the Copper Inu take his leave of them.

_What should I do? Oh, Gods, what should I do? Do I tell Kagome? Do I hide it from her?_

_**You should tell her, and explain everything**__,_ his Inner Youkai broke in.

_But that won't change what must happen! Do I lead her on when doing so would be crueler than anything I've ever done before? Surely, such a heartfelt and honest woman such as Kagome will eventually fall in love with me. Should I break her heart in two when I must make good on my father's word?_

_**Wait a minute—**_

_No. I should push her away; then, when the time comes, she won't be hurt at all._

_**SHIRO! NO! WAIT!**_

Kagome spoke to him, and something shattered in his chest as his Inner Youkai shrieked.

"Miko, you shall refer to this one as 'Prince Shiro' while in his presence," he told her, reverting to his way of speaking when he was around strangers.

He could almost taste her confusion and hurt as she interpreted his first rejection for what it was, and he longed to turn around and gather her tiny frame into his arms and hold her like that for eternity. . . .

Shiro turned his back to her and began walking towards his home, not facing her to hide the drop of liquid that fell from his eye.

She followed along, obedient and wounded.

_**SHIRO! YOU IDIOT! NO!**_

His cries fell into emptiness as the heir closed his mind off from anyone and everyone.

Later that night, as Kagome made to sit down next to him, he did something he hated to do.

_**Oh, Gods, **_**no. . . .**

A growl tore from his throat, and Kagome froze. The turmoil in her aura increased, and he hated himself for it.

His Inner Youkai despised him. He couldn't blame him.

As she moved around, he changed the frequencies to a different phrase in Inu.

"_Please don't leave me. I love you, stay. Don't go."_

She didn't hear, and he couldn't bring himself to say it louder and in a language she would understand.

_**You are a fool.**_

_I know._

A couple of days passed, and he found himself longing for a distraction from the heaviness that had settled over their little group.

"Kagome, get up," he intoned, artfully concealing how he really felt.

She stood, and he looked at her.

_**Move, you idiot! You selfish, arrogant, cold-hearted **_**BASTARD!**

He could feel his features distorting, and an expression of self-loathing crossed his face for a moment.

_No._

His Inner Youkai howled in frustration, clawing at the new bindings that he had placed.

_For my Kagome, I'll break her if it keeps her heart safe in the long run._

_**No . . . Gods, no . . . My Heart . . . forgive me. . . . **_his crushed Inner Youkai sobbed brokenly.

He beat Kagome more rigorously than was necessary, letting his hate for himself grow inside of him until it was all he knew.

As she cried and healed herself later, he turned his back to her to hide his tormented face. Gods, strike him down for what he was doing to her. . . .

_**YOU ASSHOLE! **_the being inside of him shrieked, raking his claws against the layers of defenses that protected him from it. He screamed profanities at Shiro, and the Inu that controlled their body sat and soaked it all up. He knew he deserved every minute of the abuse.

_Kagome_. . . .

Finally, she had snapped. She called him out on his behavior, and he found himself wanting to tell her the truth.

In that moment of weakness, his Inner Youkai rushed forth and took control. He was running forward to Kagome to embrace her, to clutch her close to him and never let her go. . . .

Mind cleared, he pushed aside his baser self, instead slamming Kagome against a large tree quite a bit harder than he had planned.

_**Let me out!**_

_No! You'll hurt her!_

**You're**_** hurting her, Moron! Look, she's crying!**_

Indeed, she was. She was staring him straight in the face, and he knew she must have assumed he was angry at her.

Good. Let her think that.

He forced out something malicious and meaningless as his Inner Youkai tried to block his speech.

_**Shiro! You— **_he continued on to a string of curse words, each more foul than the last, as he named each and every thing Shiro was.

Then, as Shiro bent a little in his unwavering concentration to keep his Inner Youkai inside of himself, he choked out words that nearly undid everything he'd worked for.

He hated himself, oh, how he hated himself. Kagome didn't deserve this, he was killing her light, and he knew it. . . .

Shiro turned around and fled from the heartache, letting his human form melt into nothingness as he bounded through the woods on four legs.

_**Kagome**_

_Kagome_

_**Kagome**_

_Kagome_

KAGOME!

He howled the name to the moon in a tongue she would never comprehend; he told the great celestial thing of his love, his hate, his desperation, his confusion. He sang for Kagome, because she was all that mattered.

And so Shiro ran, moving through days without noticing anything, be it time or the world or the moon.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

She was so weak . . . couldn't move. . . . She needed food and water, but her arm wouldn't raise itself to get it. It was too late for sleep; if she closed her eyes now, they would never open again. And oh, how they wanted to close . . . they were drifting shut. . . .

Then, a glowing white dog appeared in her blurred vision. The moon overhead ignited into a shining cerulean orb as the canine swirled in a cloud of youki to become her beloved Inuyoukai.

"Kagome!" he exclaimed, and she smiled weakly. Shiro had returned, and now she could stop waiting.

Just as she was losing touch with her physical form, something pleasantly warm broke through.

_**Kagome . . . **_Hikarikiyoi's weak voice broke through. _**Open your eyes.**_

So she did. She was met with radiant tongues of crimson youki, warming her cold body, bringing back her pulse as a striped hand fed her some of the food that they had. The hand gently poured some water from a flask down her throat, soothing the irritated tissue and giving her back her voice. Scarlet eyes met hers, and for once, she welcomed the sight readily.

"I waited for you. . . ." she whispered, voice cracking and grating, but she smiled anyways.

"I know," Shiro replied sadly, wiping some of the water across her brow before kissing it. "I know." He pulled her onto his legs, then held her like she was an infant or a bride. "Go to sleep, Kagome," he told her.

Like always, she obeyed.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

The dog felt something come over him, and, fearfully, glanced at the moon.

_Oh, shit—_

_**YES! **_His Inner Youkai cheered.

It was the Festival. He was screwed.

As had always happened every two-hundred years or so, the full moon shone on him, and the star of the Takahashi house rested in the path of its rays to Earth.

He found himself being pushed to the back as his Inner Youkai took center stage. Shiro didn't even try to fight it, because he knew it was hopeless from experience.

Red eyes replaced his golden ones, and elongated fangs and claws hung from his jaws and paws.

His Inner Youkai delivered a psychic slap to him quite gleefully, and he sullenly accepted it.

_Where are you going?_

_**To my Heart.**_

Shiro sighed. He knew it. . . .

When his furry body finally reached the miko, he was alarmed to discover her near-death state. It took him less than a second to transform into his humanoid state.

"Kagome!" he cried, appearing by her side just as her heart gave up.

_Oh, Gods, no . . . what have I done?_

_**YOU IDIOT!**_

Desperately, Shiro poured his youki into her prone form, and after skipping its rhythm for eleven seconds, it tentatively started again. He took the energy from the very depths of his soul to revive her. Pulling random pieces of food from the food sack in the pot and letting her drink from his flask, her eyelids fluttered and opened.

To his surprise, she smiled at him.

After everything he'd done to her, even after he literally _killed_ her, she _smiled _at him. Gods, how he loved this girl. . . .

"I waited for you. . . . " she told him faithfully. His heart swelled, even as he cursed his stupid other self.

_She trusted me to return for her? How did she know I was going to?_

_**Idiot. Never do this to her again.**_

"I know," he whispered lovingly, smoothing some water across her face to clear it of any dirt that may have accumulated in the few days he was gone, then kissed her forehead. "I know," he repeated more strongly.

It was no 'I love you,' but for now, it would have to do.

"Go to sleep, Kagome," were the last words he said to her before she drifted away on the first tides of that blissful, restful state since he left.

_Oh, Gods, I nearly broke her. . . ._

_**I know.**_

_Kagome, I'm sorry. . . . I'm _sorry_ . . ._

_**She knows.**_

_Why didn't I listen to you? I'm such a _fool_!_

_**You are.**_

_Things are going to change when she wakes up. I'm going to come clean and tell her everything._

_**Then you are less of a fool.**_

His features melted into an expression of the utmost affection towards the grown miko, and he knew that he'd finally gotten through to his supposedly more refined side.

Settling into a rigid stance that supported Kagome and let anyone who might wish to harm them know that he was awake, he sat like that for the rest of the night and morning.

It was the least he could do.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Alright, so I'm not sure if they seem a little out of character or what, but I like who I'm making them. If anyone has any complaints, I'd be glad to listen and then tell you to go screw yourselves.**

…**Just kidding. Maybe.**

**No, if anyone has any complaints, I'll hear them and take them into consideration. Flames are as welcome as anything else, I guess. Just know that if you flame me, you'll break my poor heart.**

**Now I'm off to battle multiplying rational fractions! Yay!**

**I think I'd rather take my chances with Ryuukotsusei…**

**~Kamibi**


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration fetish.

~Kamibi

Hazy, marine eyes framed by lovely thick, long lashes slowly slid open to see the face of her Inu over her. His eyes were dangerous and ruby, his fangs whiter than anything she'd ever seen, and his markings stood proud and jagged on his cheeks.

And then he looked at her, and his face softened so much it made her heart melt.

"Shiro?" she asked, quietly.

He laughed, "Almost, but not quite. I am Shiro, and I am not."

Kagome frowned. "If you're not Shiro, you can't be Shiro. You need a name."

_Wait a minute . . . did she just . . . ?_

_**I do believe she did.**_ His Inner hadn't quite forgiven him, but that was alright. He hadn't forgiven himself, yet, either.

_But isn't that reserved for . . . ?_

"Kagome, that right is usually reserved for mates," He told her. At her confused look, he explained, "A youkai's mate is the only person who can discern the true name of the other's Inner Youkai."

The miko nodded slowly, then asked, "What's the difference between a mate and a spouse?"

He hoped she was in the mood for a lengthy discussion. "Well, you could say that a mate is like a spouse, except more. In marriage, two people are joined together for whatever reason, but it's pretty impersonal, right?" Kagome didn't look like she agreed, but he forged on, anyway.

"Mating is different. Only two people who are perfectly matched together can become mates. In a mated relationship, the two beings exchange spiritual energy to meld with their partner, becoming a single, cohesive unit in a greater depth than a marriage could ever be." To be honest, he was a little awkward with talking about this to Kagome.

The aforementioned priestess broke in, "So, marriage is something that would be used for political reasons and for heirs, and a mating would be for love?"

"Yes; in the youkai world, when familial ties are needed to bring together clans, an heir and an heiress will frequently be betrothed at birth." He looked a little uncomfortable for a second, but masked it quickly. "Mates are for life, love, and eternity. Many demons have been known to have a mate that they love with all of their heart, but be married to humans or demons in order to help their lands.

"There is an even higher level of mating than the one purely for love. It is said that the Kami create everyone's soul in two parts that resonate with each other at a frequency no one could ever hope to recreate. However, finding your Soulmate is rare and sometimes harmful, if they're of a different species and your peers are prejudiced. Because of this, many youkai settle for just mating or marrying out of duty." And damn, did duty suck. . . .

"Okay, I think that makes sense…marriage for duty, mating for love, and Soulmating for . . . ?"

"Need. You _need_ to be with your Soulmate, or you will forever be half of what you could be. Half as compassionate, half as powerful, half as intelligent; in the history of the world, only a handful of individuals have located their Soulmates, less have actually Soulmated them."

"Oh, I get it. Kaede once told us a story of a Daiyoukai and a human miko who Soulmated before even Sessh – the current Lord of the West was born. Their power grew to such epic proportions, they were able to change the history as we had lived it. I thought that was ridiculous because if history had been changed, wouldn't the effects have been felt? But then Miroku said 'Perhaps they have not met each other yet, so the change has yet to actually occur', but nobody really thought about it because immediately after, he groped Sango's bottom, and, well, that was that."

_**Hey, Shiro, there's something interesting about what she just said.**_

_. . . Do I really want to know?_

_**A Dai and a human Miko—**_

_There's no way that this Kaede meant us. Just pay attention to the "human Miko."_

"If you've already found the other part of yourself, what happens if you ignore it?"

"Pain, misery; your spirit will recognize its signature, and long for the other. The more the pair resists it, the more the discomfort grows. If a Soulmated pair is separated to where they do not think they can be returned to each other, then the agony multiplies tenfold. Should one willingly, wholly betray the other after combining their souls, they both lose the bond and usually die soon after. Creating an heir with a spouse for political reasons even as your Soulmate is connected to you is neither willing nor whole betrayal; it is a fulfillment of a duty."

"What happens if a human and a youkai mate, and they aren't suited for each other?"

"Only someone, be they demon or ningen, who perfectly matches the other could possibly become a mate. If one were weaker than the other, they would be killed by the force of the stronger one's soul."

"Is there a difference in the process of mating and Soulmating?"

"The process is entirely the same, but back in the Days Before, someone dictated that in a mating, the beings only shared part of their spirits with the other, and in a Soulmating, they combined completely. They'd still be two separate individuals, and be little changed, but they'd literally share a soul. It's so much more intimate than anything else, most couples who Soulmate decide that just being together is better than certain . . . other . . . acts." He coughed a little as Kagome blushed, thankfully dropping the matter. She asked, he answered; he just wished he didn't have to be the one answering.

"Okay . . . that was a helpful little detour, but you still need a name," she swung the conversation around full-circle, and he stared at her incredulously.

"What . . . Kagome . . ." Did she just totally ignore the entirety of what he had said?

"I know, I know; you probably want your mate to name you, but there's something I've wanted to call you for _ages_."

Not just that he wanted his mate to name him; _only_ his mate could name him, and that was _after_ the mating process. It was said that Soulmates instinctually knew their partner's Inner's name, but that may as well have been a rumor. If she really did conjure his real name, he'd feel it immediately.

"Shin." An electric current shot through him, and he was thoroughly amazed. Wholeness and satisfaction washed over his mind.

_What does this mean?_

_**It means that she's your Soulmate, Idiot.**_

_What!? But she's Kagome, our best friend. . . ._

_**There's a reason I've been calling her "my Heart."**_

_I assumed that you meant that as her being the only pack we've had since we left home!_

_**. . . No. She is my Heart, my Soul, and my love until death and even after that.**_

_. . . How can you possibly know that? We've only known her for—_

_**For longer than your father knew your mother before mating her. How long does it take for the heart to lose itself to another, anyway?**_

_I don't know, but longer than this!_

_**We've been traveling together since the end of last month, and tomorrow would be the 25**__**th**__**. In that time, she's astounded us, amazed us, and alarmed us. She waited for us to return even when we would have moved on in her position, she healed us even when it risked death on her part. Hell, even in our first meeting, she had our back. She is loyal, faithful, kind, intelligent, fierce, determined, and bright. How could you deny your love for her?**_

_I will not deny my feelings for her, but it seems too soon to call them "love." . . ._

_**Then let your affection mature. It will only grow stronger with time.**_

All in all, Shiro coming to terms with himself took all of a second. Thank the Gods for mental discussions. In that time, the very miko he'd been fretting over had paused—probably for effect—and now, she continued.

"Shiiiiiiin. . . ." she dragged it out, rolling the name around to get a better feel for it, "'Heart'. Because that's what you called me the first time we met, remember?" She smiled at him.

"Of course," he grinned back.

_So . . . I love her. And we're mates._

_**Soulmates.**_

_. . . We're Soulmates. How do I tell her?_

_**You don't.**_

_What?_

_**She has to come to that conclusion on her own. Otherwise, the bond won't be complete, and there are no retries for this sort of thing.**_

Somewhere in a different plane of existence, a pure white longbow with quicksilver blades on each end thrummed in anticipation.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"So . . . why exactly did you go all psycho on me, and what made you change your mind?"

They'd been sitting comfortably around their fire for about fifteen minutes, watching the flames engage in their timeless, endless dance and cuddling close together.

And not just for body warmth, either; a near-death experience does a lot to a relationship, and Shin was thoroughly enjoying having her in his arms.

_Should I tell her?_

_**Oh, having second thoughts? No matter; you don't have a say in this.**_

"Remember how I told you about how sometimes, youkai are involved in arranged marriages for their families?"

Kagome's eyes reflected an epiphany as she said, "So you were betrothed to someone as a pup, and now it's time to fulfill your end of the agreement? That's what that message was about?"

Shin nodded, slightly surprised at her powers of deduction.

"And then you blocked me out because . . . because . . . you thought it might be better if you broke our relationship off before your obligation because . . . ?"

Well, he couldn't very well tell her, "_Kagome, I am madly in love with you and I suspect it's mutual so Shiro was such an ass to you to spare your feelings, which failed miserably because you almost died and I went berserk inside of Shiro."_

But Kami, did he want to.

Thankfully, Kagome spared him the trouble of answering with a snap of her fingers and a large grin on her face. "Because you thought that your bride-to-be would be jealous of us being so buddy-buddy! Wow, Shin, you and Shiro are such good people."

**You very well know that wasn't why he spurned your company**, Hikarikiyoi chastised.

_I know_, Kagome replied, _but a little guilt trip never hurt anyone._

He did his very best not to wince and plastered a watery smile on his face before glaring daggers at his more sensible self inside of his head.

It was very gratifying to watch Shiro cower from his wrath.

"That was very insightful of you," he managed weakly.

She beamed at him, even as he felt like Japan's Biggest Jerk.

They sat together for a while more, before Kagome shattered their companionable silence into a million fragments.

"So . . . what is she like?"

He cringed. "She is Lady Kyoei, of the Venom Inu house. Her family is the only poison-wielding clan of Inu, and it shows in crimson stripes adorning their cheeks."

_**Crimson stripes . . . ?**_ Kagome replayed in her head. Hmm, who did she know that had crimson stripes (two pairs, even) upon their painfully regal and feminine cheeks? She had a sinking feeling about this 'Lady Kyoei.'

"Her father, who rules a vast portion of land between the North and West, is an ally of my own sire, who is Cardinal Lord and Daiyoukai of the West. Lady Kyoei is the last remaining unmated, unmarried female of her line, therefore any marriage to her would benefit the West greatly. At her birth, for she is almost a century younger than I, both North and West clamored to get in the good graces of the Northwestern Lord, who has never been fully recognized as a Cardinal Lord.

"The West managed to win the new-born daughter's hand in marriage by chance because their family owed us a debt for a favor done long ago. Inu take such debts very seriously, and that was that. The contract stated that I would marry her and produce an heir anytime after my 550th birthday, which happened to be fourteen years ago. However, it was agreed upon outside of the deal that it would occur once I turned 21 and she was 20 in human years.

"So you can see how I was completely blindsided by the coming of this letter at least four decades before I was due."

Kagome smiled at him wryly and said, "Well, that's interesting and I would've surely asked about all of that, but you didn't answer my original inquiry."

Shin stared at her blankly. What . . . ?

"_So . . . what is she like?"_

Right . . . Oops.

He coughed a bit and glanced away as he non-blushed. Kagome giggled; the sight of a red-eyed, feral Inu heir blushing in response to _her_ was just too weird.

"Lady Kyoei is . . . very . . ." He seemed reluctant to tell her, for some reason. She must be really amazing, for him to be so hesitant.

"It's okay. You can be honest; I won't tell a soul."

"Kyoei is . . . Kyoei is the reason humans use the term 'bitch' as an insult." He smiled as Kagome giggled (in relief, but she'd never admit to it), but continued. "She is mean-spirited, cruel, arrogant, self-centered, and spoiled as a result of her father doting on Kyoei her entire life. She thinks she is better than she actually is, and is weak because she never trains or works on improving herself. The poison-whip attack that her family is known for has never been taught to her, because she possesses not the maturity, skill, nor desire to learn it. Truly, the only thing desirable about her is her prestigious bloodline."

Now that he had fully explained everything about his betrothed, Kagome let herself follow logic to the final chain that probably revealed some awful truth. Thinking for a moment, she finally arrived at a conclusion.

_Kyoei is Sesshoumaru's mother, isn't she?_ she asked, dreading the answer but not fully realizing why.

_**Given that she holds the symbols on her face that Shiro and Shin do not, she attacks with venom, and that Shiro will most likely divorce her after producing his eldest. . . .**_

_A simple 'yes' would have been fine, Hikarikiyoi._

Shaking her head slightly, Kagome turned back to Shin, and smiled, "Okay. In case you were worried, I'm fine with this marriage. I understand that this is important to your clan, and will provide the most powerful heir possible."

_And damn, is he powerful. . . ._

_**Focus, Kagome! You're talking to Shin!**_

_I know, I know. . . . Okay, be nice, think of something to show your goodwill. . . ._

"If you want, I could marry you two."

Crap, maybe that was _too_ nice? Oh, well, the look Shin had on his face was so worth it; it was like she just said she loved cats more than dogs, told him she was actually an Inu herself, and kissed his dad all at the same time.

In other words, he was surprised.

_**Did she just offer to marry us?**_

_I believe that she did. Were you not present at the time? _Shiro inquired sarcastically. Huh. Verbal irony was new from his Inner Beast.

"Why?" he got out, managing to sound relatively normal.

Fumbling for a reason, Kagome actually came up with some good points.

"Well, for one, I'm a pretty powerful miko, if you haven't noticed," she laughed somewhat lamely, "And how impressive would it be for two strong Inuyoukai to be married by a ningen priestess? Your wedding would be one that has never occurred before, and likely never will again."

Her father would be ecstatic about the uniqueness of their ceremony; people would be talking for centuries. . . .

"Also, I want to prove that I'm completely okay with this, and actually, I support it."

No, she didn't. She hated this 'Kyoei' with a passion for taking her Shiro and her Shin from her. Well, as close to hate as the kindhearted miko could get.

_**It's not like you love him, Kagome**__,_ Hikarikiyoi's voice told her in an unreadable voice.

_I know, but for some reason, I'm really jealous,_ she replied flippantly.

She refused to think about that one.

A grin broke out on his face, and its brilliance (his fangs somehow made it shine brighter, and her breath caught a little bit) made her forget everything she had just been thinking about.

Then, to her surprise, he shot up, bringing Kagome with him and hugging her close.

"Thank you, Kagome! I'd love it if you were the one to marry us! It will be so much easier saying 'I do' to that bitch—pun not intended—with you there!"

The priestess just blushed and tentatively wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders.

_You are enjoying this entirely too much,_ Shiro told him sternly.

_**What? You don't give me many chances to touch her. And don't pretend you don't like it; I can feel your emotions, remember?**_

_. . ._

_**And, I'm your instinctual side. Cuddling, snuggling, and affection are staples that no Inu should have to live without, and your nomadic ways have deprived me of them for far too long. What is a poor Inner Youkai to do when he meets his Soulmate?**_

Shiro chose to remain silent.

Shin set her down as he felt the first tugs of the end of the Festival pulling at him. As the sun came up over the horizon, he smiled at her even as his fangs and claws returned to a less dangerous length and the red bled out of his eyes.

With the last of his control, he kissed Kagome's forehead, then retreated to his usual spot inside of Shiro.

_**That was fun.**_

_Yes, but I'm still glad it's over. There's just something unsettling about being stuck in the backseat of your own body._

Shin fixed him with a dry stare. _**Gee, I wonder how **_**that**_** feels.**_

. . . _You have a valid point. Perhaps, I'll let you out more often._

_**I hate you substantially less, now.**_

_My sincerest thanks._ Boy, nothing like sarcasm to brighten up the day, eh?

_**No problem!**_ . . . Oh, he hated it when people took his sarcasm literally. Damn him, Shin _knew_ that.

Rolling his eyes, he realized Kagome was silently asking him why Shin had disappeared with the moon. He realized this because she was staring at him intently and waiting for an answer. It made him slightly uncomfortable.

"Roughly every two centuries, the star of the Takahashi, or Silver Inu, clan stands in the path of the moon as it shines on the Earth. On those nights, every Inu of my family loses their control to their Inner Youkai, and they have free reign every 24th of December in the appropriate years."

The girl gasped, and it was easy to understand why. He'd just given her a somewhat fantastical explanation of his transformation. . . .

"Oh, Kami, yesterday was the 24th?" She asked him urgently, eyes wide.

Shiro would have sweat-dropped, had they been in an anime and had he known what an anime was. She didn't care about the Festival . . . ? What a . . . _strange_ onna.

"Yes . . . ?" The silent question, "_What of it?"_ was written in his tone, but Kagome didn't hear it.

She proceeded to scream a profane word, much to his bemusement and amusement.

And then, the odd woman pulled his hands to her sternum and began apologizing profusely.

"Kagome!" He said loudly, in the 'Serve Me or Die' tone that won over his annoying kappa, Jakken. That got her attention. "Why are you apologizing?"

She sniffled a little, then said, "I didn't get you anything."

A blank stare ought to convey his confusion appropriately. Yes, that did the job quite nicely.

"Today is Christmas Day! Western tradition dictates that people give gifts to their loved ones, and I completely lost track of time!"

_She forgot to get me a gift?_ How the hell did ningen of the future relate the 25th of December to giving presents to each other? Perhaps this strange custom provided insight into the deeper workings of Higurashi Kagome. . . .

_**Just humor her**__,_ was Shin's knowledgeable reply. That little . . .

"Kagome, worry not. This Shiro has an idea," he declared imperiously. Her blue eyes blinked up at him hopefully.

"By the end of the day, we shall give each other gifts that we have procured from some random source. There is a village approximately three-quarters of a mile away, and I am sure that there are plenty of gifts located in and around the forest."

Determination seeped into her gaze, and he struggled to keep a straight face.

Score One for Self-Control.

"Alright, Shiro! I won't fail you!" Kagome cheered enthusiastically. As she sped off into the woods, he finally allowed himself a chuckle.

_**Amusing one, isn't she?**_

_. . . Keh. Now, what shall I give her?_

_**What does she like?**_

_How should I know?_

Shin and Shiro put their heads together (literally and figuratively) to try to conjure up anything that Kagome enjoyed, and came up empty fifteen minutes later.

Perhaps this day would cause more problems than originally foreseen.

_**. . . Idiot.**_

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

As Kagome picked her way through the crowded streets of a village, she was almost trampled on and crushed due to her tiny stature.

_Well! Aren't these people just the rudest?_ Kagome huffed in her head.

_**Kagome, WATCH OUT! **_Was that panic in Hikarikiyoi's tone?

_Huh?_

Distracted with herself, she didn't notice that she had run into a vendor. Meat vendor, probably, if she went by the knives and blood stains all over his apron. . . .

Hikarikiyoi sighed.

Kagome smiled weakly at the incensed visage of the gigantic butcher. He stood at a towering 5'9", hulking and looming over her with shadows etched into the creases of his face.

After a few moments of sizing her up, he snorted and curled his lip in disgust. "Watch where you're going, Bitch," the crude man spat.

Her smile abandoned to a look of impending fury, she said calmly, "Now, my good sir, if you had been paying _attention_, you would have noticed that a small, defenseless," she stumbled a little on that one.

_I am NOT defenseless!_ She stormed.

_**Hush, Kagome. Finish your statement**__,_ Hikarikiyoi told her worriedly.

" . . . miko, who helps whomever she can in her travels, was minding her own business and passing this way."

The belligerent, and, apparently, bellicose butcher pulled a cleaver from his belt, and a mean glint shone in his eye. "Little _Girl_, you don't want to fight me."

By now, a crowd had gathered. For a moment, Kagome wondered why no one bothered to stop him.

Then she realized that this guy was a giant, and really, there were no laws that could be enforced. No one cared about one more dead body.

And . . . crap, Hikari wouldn't work against humans. Was that a tingle of fear that just shot down her spine?

_**I most definitely **_**will ****attack him if he harms you! **her Soul Blade snarled.

_. . . No. I won't harm a human who has no desire to kill._ The determination that Kagome was famous for rang clear in her tone.

_**Kagome, I'm fairly certain he has a desire to ki—PAY ATTENTION!**_

Of course, the guy had gotten insulted that she was ignoring him, and of _course_, he was charging at her.

_His form is rather sloppy . . .,_ she noted offhandedly.

_**Now is not the time to play mentor!**_

Kagome relinquished herself to the third identity in her as the insane man approached with conceited confidence.

As she watched the Warrior fight and win easily against the butcher, she wondered to Hikarikiyoi, _Who is she?_

_**She is one of your personalities.**_

_So I'm schizophrenic? Of course I am. The Kami just hate me._

Hikarikiyoi refrained from making a snarky remark about how the "Talking Bow" should have given that away. _**No, she is a detachment of yourself.**_

_What is that supposed to mean? What is she supposed to do?_

Her weapon hesitated before answering, _**You are very strong-willed, but gentle at heart. You will never be able to fight like she can.**_

_And why not?_

_**Because she is not afraid of killing.**_

Gulp. Wow, did that make her a bad person?

_**Kagome, I am your logic and reason, no?**_

_Well, I wouldn't say THAT. . . ._

_**Yet, I am capable of losing my head. Why is that?**_

_Because . . . because while you are my more levelheaded side, you are still a part of me, and some of my characteristics remain in you._

_**Good. If you are the passionate and kind one, why do you still possess my rationality?**_

_For the same reason you are a little like me . . . we are one._

_**Then it stands to reason that the Warrior also has a conscience.**_

_And by that rule, I also have a bloodlust within me._

There was an obvious comment to be made about her temper, but Hikarikiyoi was supposed to be mature. _**Don't we all?**_

_. . . I suppose. Is there any chance I'll be able to communicate with her?_

_You need only ask._

As Kagome had stood there with a distant look in her eye, the butcher had lost to the Warrior, but he was still very much alive. He crawled away, terrified, and the crowd dispersed back into the mob that had nearly trampled the miko while she was moving.

Strangely enough, they all avoided her now.

_Who are you, Warrior?_ Kagome asked.

_I am Ketsueki._ Well, crap, wasn't that just a hair-raising name?

_Blood._ The miko's prime identity stated frankly.

_Yes._ Just as blunt.

_Why do you exist?_

_To protect you._

As Kagome ruminated over that, Hikarikiyoi spoke up.

_**She tells the truth.**_

_How do you know?_

_We are sister in purpose, in bloodlust, in life._

_**Kagome, we are both entities designed to fight and revel in it. We are your safety guard when all else fails.**_

Kagome processed that for a few minutes, and then–

_Well, that's great and all, nice to meet you, Ketsueki, but I still don't have a Christmas gift for Shiro._

_What?_

_**She gets like this sometimes.**_

_Hey! Don't talk about me like I'm not here! Of course the voices in my head treat me like a voice in their heads!_

_**Apologies, Kagome,**_ Hikarikiyoi said, sounding anything but apologetic.

_Yes, I remember. She's a strange one…_

_Don't insult me inside my own head!_

_Kagome, we were made to protect you, not respect you._

Hikarikiyoi stifled laughter.

"Why, you!" Kagome exclaimed, fists balled, cheeks flushed and puffed, and nostrils flared. "You insufferable, belligerent, antagonizing, irritating –"

A large bovine suddenly crossed dangerously close to her path, loaded with goods and a merchant who sat up there shaking his own fists at her.

_Oh, right . . . I'm in a market._

Oops. Well, now that _that_ little episode was over . . .

What should she get Shiro?

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro sat back down around the remains of last night's fire, contented smile firmly in place. After searching for many, many hours (or just one and a half, but who's counting?), he had finally come across the perfect gift.

_**Shiro, it occurs to me that we may have overlooked something,**_ Shin said, sounding a little despairing.

_What?_ Nothing could bring him down, not after he just pulled _that_ off.

_**What about Hikarikiyoi?**_

_. . . What?_ Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP, don't say it. . . .

_**Hikarikiyoi. Her Soul Blade is as much her as her voice.**_ The bastard said it. Of course he did.

_. . ._

_**We need to get a . . . "Christmas" present for Hikarikiyoi. Otherwise, it'll seem like we skimped out.**_

Oh . . . damn. Sighing, Shiro dragged himself back into an upright position, shuffling forlornly back into the forest.

_Good thing it's only noon. . . ._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"What do you mean, fifty? I just saw you sell an identical to the man before me for ten!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Wench, take it or leave it," the merchant replied stoutly.

Drawing herself up into the biggest shape possible (which still was rather small), she ignored the laughter from behind her and told the infuriating man, "I'll leave it, then! Who needs an overpriced dog doll, anyways?" and stomped off righteously.

_**Kagome, that's the fourteenth time that's happened.**_

_I know._

She sighed despondently. No one took her seriously for being a woman, and her failures of the mathematical kind didn't help things, either.

"_Stupid!"_

"_Fool!"_

"_Wench!"_

"_Idiot!"_

Yes, they were jerks, and yes, they were greedy, but that was beside the point. She needed the stuff, and they had the stuff, which was really all it boiled down to.

_How am I going to earn their respect?_

A shriek startled her out of her crouch in an alley. An aura of intermediate strength registered on her Miko-Radar, and she quickly sprinted towards it at the speed of a youkai with the help of her holy energy.

Pulling Hikarikiyoi from the air with a flash (which drew a collective "Ooh" from the fearful crowd that had gathered some feet away), she approached the new enemy.

Holy Hell, there was a young maiden caught under its claw.

Actually, what _was _it?

"Youkai! You dare encroach on ningen land, when we have been peaceful and calm towards you?" She neglected to tell it that she was just stopping in for a gift.

It laughed at her. The nerve . . . !

"If there were any miko of _power—_" Kagome _snarled (. . . Perhaps I need to start making friends who aren't dog demons)_ "—I would have kept my distance! As it were, I smelt fresh meat, and came to investigate."

As it brought the poor, screaming girl to its beak-like thing, cackling all the way, Kagome swiftly decided that it didn't matter what breed of Evil Ugly this thing was.

It was going to die.

_It called me weak!_ Kagome raged.

Her Soul Blade and Ketsueki sighed in tandem.

_This one is easy enough for you to beat, I believe._

_Hey, you can't call me weak, too. That's just not gonna fly._

_**Kagome . . . just fight.**_

Letting her body and mind translate into the mindset she needed to use her youkai-speed, she swaggered over to where it stood poised and grinning gruesomely. A grim look in its direction from the miko was its only goodbye, and its head rolled to the ground in slow-motion, every tumble a booming drumbeat.

Silence reined over the clearing.

"Oh, Miko-sama, _thank you!_ I was sure I was going to die!" The youth picked herself up from the floor and kissed Kagome's feet in tearful gratitude.

Said Miko-sama stared down at her blankly, blinking at irregular intervals. Well, crap. What now?

_Dealing with thankful citizens was not in the priestess job description!_ Kagome was seriously freaking out now. Standing up to a large, arrogant demon was easy; consoling hysteric damsels was a whole different story.

The gathered crowd burst into cheering for "Miko-sama" as the girl reluctantly raised herself to her normal height, bowing deeply before Kagome and then scampering off, presumably to her guardian.

A trinkets merchant—the same one from before, she noted—stepped out from the teeming horde of people, to kneel at her feet (what was with people and her feet?) and proclaim his loyalty to her.

"Anything you want, you can have for free!" he declared, before hurriedly adding, "As long as it's within reason, of course."

One by one, merchants left the throngs of people to give her bargain deals and offers, as payment for saving the girl, who turned out to be their equivalent of a princess.

Talk about amazing luck.

_Well, this should help with the prices._

No kidding.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro met Shin inside of himself, as a result of heavy meditation. It made for less confusing conversation than simply thinking things to each other.

"Alright, so I need to think of a gift for Hikarikiyoi, and then I'm done," Shiro confirmed to his Inner Youkai.

A nod was his response.

"Then," he continued, "what should I give to a Soul Blade?"

"Perhaps something that augments its fighting skills or helps in defense would be a good choice," Shin told him.

"Alright . . . so of the things that are readily available at the current point in time, what are our best options?"

A few minutes later, Shin smirked and leaned close to Shiro. Whispering in his ear (although it really wasn't necessary), he conveyed his idea to the clueless heir. Shiro's eyes widened considerably, and he smiled.

"That's perfect! Thank you," and rushed out of their meeting place. Shin leaned back on his heels, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.

_**And that is why I am awesome, and Shiro is not.**_

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Yes, thank you Sir!" Kagome beamed at the ecstatic vendor. She guessed that he was just happy she hadn't gone for one of the more expensive items, as a result of his promise.

He smiled back. "It was my pleasure. Come again, Miko-sama."

She was about to correct him, before she remembered that telling people her name was probably not a good idea, considering Ryuukotsusei might hear it and that could change the course of history.

With a bounce in her step and a grin on her face, Kagome was ready to return to their encampment, when she remembered that she needed two gifts.

Why? Because her friend was a freakin' schizophrenic, that's why.

_**It's not like you have any right to complain**__,_ Hikarikiyoi reminded her.

_Indeed, considering you have a psychotic killer and a talking bow that transforms into daggers occupying your head._ Did Kagome mention that she really, _really_ did not like Ketsueki?

_. . . Shut up._

But what to do for Shin? She couldn't very well give him a material gift. . . .

Hmmm. . . .

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

With an impressive, elegant energy attack, Shiro easily slew his prey.

_You know, I really have to come up with a name for that,_ he thought idly, retrieving his prize.

_**Hmm . . . I want to name it something cool and dramatic, but you're probably not going to like it.**_

_Go ahead._ If it was awful, he could just not use it, right?

_**Alrighty, then! **_Shin paused for emphasis. _**"Sankon-Tetsusou."**_

_. . . "Sankon-Tetsusou."_

**Doesn't it have a nice ring to it? **Was Shin serious? He sounded serious.

Shiro couldn't believe it. _You want me to name my attack "Soul-Scattering Iron Claws."_

_**Well . . . yeah.**_

_No. Not a chance. Let some other idiot who discovers it name it that. "Soul-Scattering Iron Claws" is a ridiculous name for an attack._

_**. . . Just for that, one of your descendants is going to call it that. It's called "Universal Spite."**_

_Hah. Not my sons, at the very least. I won't show them the maneuver._

_**What if they're smart enough to figure it out by themselves?**_

_Then they're smart enough not to name it Sankon-Tetsusou. How silly._

_**Just you wait, Takahashi Shiro. . . . Just you wait. . . .**_

By now, Shiro had leapt into the sky and begun traveling back towards their area of Northeastern Japan that Kagome was currently in. It was nice to just have conversation with his Inner.

_Gah, the Northlands are _cold_. Hikarikiyoi had better appreciate her gift._

_**She will. I know because I thought of it.**_

_. . . Sure. What was that about "Universal Spite?"_

_**. . . Just fly, you arrogant—**_

Shiro cackled, blocking Shin's rant from his mind.

Too easy.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shiro elegantly came into their campground just as Kagome returned huffing and puffing from wherever it was that she had been, and the last of the sun fled the sky.

Landing softly on the withered grass, he stood and quirked an eyebrow at her until she stood up from her bowed position, holding her sides.

"Oh! Shiro!" She beamed, apparently only noticing him then. "I found the perfect gift for you!"

Two minutes later, Kagome had managed to get him on his rear on one of their hides, warming around the cheerfully flickering fire.

"I hope you like it! I had to kill a youkai to be able to buy it," she told him seriously. Did she get him something on—or _inside_—of a demon?

Shiro took the package encased in several leaves that were probably supposed to be aesthetically pleasing from her outstretched palm, and, slicing through the twine that encased it, revealed a . . .

_**Ha! She got you a necklace! **_Shin chortled in his head.

"Thank you, Kagome," he told her with a weak smile and hesitantly chained it around his neck.

The girl wasn't as daft as she sometimes behaved, apparently. "It's not just for looks. I've placed several wards on it that draw from your own reserves; it's a minimal amount, don't worry. They prevent it from rust or tarnishing, damage, and it produces a barrier against anything that desires to kill you."

"So if my enemy merely wanted to seriously maim me . . . ?" he asked in half-joking.

"Sorry, Shiro, you're on your own."

Nodding slowly, he motioned for her to proceed.

She happily obliged. "The charm changes color depending on the distance of the threat. It'll be a pure silver if nothing's within a hundred-mile radius (I know how fast youkai can move), and black when they're within a quarter of a mile."

There was a charm? Oh, Kami, _please_ don't let it be some sort of cutesy dog. . . .

Unclasping it from its perch, he brought it down in front of him to study it in greater detail. It was a fine, delicate silver chain, and about a one-and-a-half-inch silver charm that dangled from it somewhat like a snowflake.

It was the kanji for _Shiro_.

_It's surprisingly masculine, considering how frail the chain is._

_**I like it.**_

_. . . That, too._

"I also have something for Shin. . . ." a flush rose to her cheeks. What could she want to give his Inner Youkai that would make her that dangerous shade of red?

The perv in his head went nuts.

"Um . . . I learned how to do this with people as a miko-in-training because it's how war generals and such communicate with each other over vast distances. However, it's irreversible, and very, very intimate. Thus, I'm only going to connect Shin and Hikarikiyoi, as opposed to him and me."

Wait . . . what?

In the dusky half-night light of the rising moon, Kagome's form began to glow. A gentle, calming being touched his aura, and Shin welcomed it readily. He could feel the foreign presence slowly blending into his Inner Youkai, and after a few moments, it was complete.

_**This is the best gift **_**ever,** Shin exclaimed happily.

_And why is that?_

_**Now I can always communicate with Kagome's Inner Miko, so to speak! Also, it's a show of trust that I won't attack her mentally, and her loyalty to me. Which is very, very attractive, considering I'm a dog.**_

_I wonder if she knows that._

_**I'm sure she does. Now, go ahead! Give her your gifts.**_

As he was rooting around the outer folds of his clothes for his presents, he asked Shin, _Did you get her anything?_

_**Why, of course.**_

_What—?_

"Ooh, it's so pretty!" Kagome squealed, claiming the object that he had absentmindedly removed.

It actually was. He had somehow found an uncut, large chunk of sapphire in the woods, and with his scalpel-precise claws and mysterious knowledge of jewel crafting (he didn't remember how he knew, but he did), cut its facets carefully into a perfect orb. Then, he had placed a bit of his crimson aura inside of it, where it swirled and twisted mesmerizingly, in a deep, rich violet hue, due to the blue color of the rock filtering the red of his aura.

"It feels like you," she told him happily.

"I should hope that I don't feel like an oversized rock," he remarked dryly.

"I meant—"

"I know."

She smiled at him. "I can't believe you remembered my birthstone."

He returned a smile as a memory came to him.

_Their First Night Around the Fire_

"Yup, I'm nineteen. My birthday was actually a couple months ago," she confirmed.

"When exactly was your birthday?" Shiro asked curiously.

"September 24; I wanted a sapphire necklace I had found in a store in my time, but it was too expensive."

"Was there any significance of the sapphire?"

"Of course! It's September's birthstone!"

"Birthstone?"

"Well, birthstones are…"

_End of Scene_

Well, that was excruciatingly lucky. It made him wonder what horrible thing the Universe was going to make him endure if this was their pre-apology.

Shivering slightly, he pulled a chunk of cloth-wrapped material from his haori smoothly, and presented it to Kagome. He pulled it back from her inquiring fingers, telling her to draw Hikarikiyoi.

Giving him a perplexed look, she summoned her moon-colored bow from the other plane, holding it out to her partner.

Unwrapping the bundle, he revealed a chunk of white fluff.

Kagome recognized it as the furry stuff at the base of Tetsusaiga, and gasped despite herself.

"It's the fur of the enchanted Snow Bison, which soars in the skies of Northern Japan. A clan of air magi cultivate them as animal partners, but the wild ones are open game. Anything it is placed on is gifted with extra durability and greater strength. Typically, it is found at the hilt of swords, but I believe it will fit just fine on the blades of your bow. And, on the daggers, I suspect it will be located in the proper places at the hilts."

He noted with satisfaction her widened eyes and showed her how to attach it to her bow by running reiki through it. Now that it was on there, it wasn't ever coming off. It also kept the weapon and itself clean, but she could find that out in her next bloody battle.

Her enlarged orbs swam with unshed tears, and she tackled Shiro, repeatedly declaring her thanks. Pulling back a little, she grinned at him and said, "Merry Christmas, Shiro."

_**Hey! Let me out!**_

_What? Why?_

_**I have to give her my gifts!**_

_Oh . . . damn. I was enjoying the hug._

_**You selfish jerk, LEMME OUT.**_

_Fine, fine. . . ._

As Shiro's features faded into more primal characteristics that Kagome easily recognized, she climbed back up and sat down next to him.

"Hi, Shin!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Kagome," he replied with a nod, grinning at her. "I hope you know that your presents aren't all given."

"How on earth did you get me something?"

"I didn't, for obvious reasons." He smirked at her perplexed look. "If I could see Hikarikiyoi," he requested, waving his clawed hands towards her Soul Weapon, gently cradling her before pouring some of his youki into the bow. A warm tingle washed over Kagome, and then he returned Hikarikiyoi to her.

"I've given Hikarikiyoi some of my youki. It will basically do everything the Snow Bison fur does, but now, she'll be recognized as a youkai weapon, as well as a miko bow. The first of her kind, really; due to the youki signature, she'll have a bunch of reiki attacks that do super damage."

Kagome remembered the Kaze no Kizu and all of Inuyasha's signature moves, and nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Shin."

"No problem," he replied. "I should probably get your permission before giving you your gift." Kneeling and holding her hand between his palms, Kagome first wondered if he was proposing.

_OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGO–_

_**Relax, Kagome, it's not what you think, mostly because that is a Western tradition**_, Hikarikiyoi commented.

"Kagome, could I adopt you into the Silver Inu House?"

Whoa. That was unexpected.

She stared at him blankly.

"You'll be officially recognized as a Silver Inu by every youkai you encounter. Essentially, you'll become a demon, just without youki. You'll still be able to utilize your miko powers; you'll just be at the level of a princess in my courts. This means that you have access to every privilege I do, and you'll always be welcomed in the western lands."

This . . . this was . . . holy crap.

_**Kagome, it's best if you don't turn this down.**_

_I wouldn't dream of it._

"Yes, Takahashi Shin, and Shiro, if you're in there, I hope you approve."

After a moment of thinking, Shin replied, "He does."

"Then by all means, go ahead," she offered a tentative smile.

Hmm . . . he hadn't really thought this one entirely through. Other youkai had been adopted into different clans more times than he could really count, but a human had never been brought into the community.

_**Kagome's special enough to do this.**_

But he'd have to be very, very careful, or the unthinkable could happen (again . . .). Running the ceremony through his head several times, he remembered that it was a fairly simple one, actually. He spoke up.

"I'm going to need to make a small incision on your neck, just below your ear." Shin sounded worried. It was a painful place to put a cut. To his utter astonishment, Kagome laughed breezily.

"Oh, that's fine, I thought you were going to have to _bite_ me. A cut's fine," she said again.

He gave her a strange look, then shrugged and cut his right wrist. Blood poured from it, but he barely felt the pain as he made a quick cut on her smooth neck. Trickling the tiniest bit of youki into his pulse, it seeped into Kagome's bloodstream, easily blending with her own reiki.

Just as the process finished, her aura surged unstably and Kagome's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she passed out.

_**Oh, shit, Shiro! **_Shin panicked. _**This has never been done before, I didn't know what was going to happen, oh, Kami, what if she—**_

Her heart stuttered in her chest, before stopping completely.

An anguished cry tore through the winter air.

"KAGOME!"

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry this one has been so long in the coming! Hopefully, the TWENTY-TWO PAGES make up for it…**

**I know, I know, I'm evil. This is actually my first cliffhanger. Don't expect it to be a big one; she just died, what's the big deal?**

…

**Just kidding. I'm kinda depressed cuz I lost a spelling bee to my friend, Asian Buddy, so my writing may not be top-quality. Oh, well. I like Christmas celebrations.**

**We're a week closer to the palace! Wonder how they'll react to the Miko Inu…will Shiro's dad be cool or cruel?**

**Thanks,**

**~Kamibi**


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration fetish.

~Kamibi

In the six seconds it took for Kagome to wake back up, Shin had cursed enough to make any man of Kagome's time blush like a schoolgirl. He cursed himself for being so stupid, he cursed a bunch of people more powerful and celestial than he, and pretty much everything else he could think of.

Then her eyes opened once more, and Shin was silent.

Instead of the pure, unblemished blue he was so used to seeing, a strange shade of green greeted him. It was really more of a dark blue, with hints of verdant . . .

_Wait, look closer_, Shiro told him, ready to take over if Kagome showed any signs of fear at his red-eyed alter-ego. Who knew what could happen to a person's memory if they died and then came back to life twice?

Peering into her hazy orbs, he discovered that it wasn't actually green, but a combination of her own deep blue and flecks of gold.

_**My gold . . .**_ he realized.

Suddenly, her aura bubbled and twisted, bringing with it a screaming flare of light and reiki, which blinded him even as he tumbled backwards.

Shin was _never_ going to experiment with her again.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Her eyes slowly eased themselves open, and landed on a pure, white being that loomed over her with concern etched into his handsome face.

_Who is he again?_

No time to wonder, as a shrieking pain tore through her, beginning right below her ear and quickly burning its way down to her very toes. Her blood roiled in her ears and vessels as they expanded to accommodate for more blood flow, and her heart slowed significantly, but every beat sounded like an army beating on the walls of her castle.

_Thud . . ._

_Thud . . ._

_Thud . . ._

And then, without warning, it picked up again, frantically keeping time with the waves of bright light that overwhelmed her mind. Somewhere far off in the distance, away from the sanctuary where Kagome's consciousness rested to protect her sanity, a girl was shrieking.

_Who is that?_ she asked dreamily, feeling lethargic.

_**Ketsueki**_** . . .** Hikarikiyoi sounded strained. _**She's taking the brunt of it to protect you.**_

Kagome couldn't quite remember who Ketsueki was, but she felt vaguely surprised. _Why?_

_**It is her duty.**_

And then, it was gone. Kagome's skin felt tingly, like her outer layers had just been scrubbed off, and strange. Like she was Kagome, but not Kagome.

A twig snapped about four hundred meters away, as her nose and ears detected, and by reflex, she snapped her head toward it, baring her fangs and readying her claws. Her eyes spotted a rabbit's hind legs as it hopped into the forest once more, and committed the scent to memory.

_What the hell?_

Human miko were _not_ supposed to have such advanced sensory faculties.

So what was she?

Kagome pulled the blue sapphire Shiro had gifted her with, and perceived a rough image of what she looked like now.

_Whoa. . . ._

"_**Whoa" indeed.**_

Carefully reaching an ivory-tipped finger up to her ear, she found it to be pointed like Shiro's and his full-blooded son's; then, she brought that hand to her eyes for inspection after a sharp pain made itself known in her ear. The half-inch long claws shone polished ivory, and were sharp enough to cut a leaf in half just by touching it. A quick wriggle of her toes revealed them to be capped with the same deadly weapons, and when she gingerly felt her canines, she drew blood. Fascinated, she watched the wound close in almost two seconds.

_What did he do to me?_

Then, Shin was wrapped around her, sniffing her hair and mumbling apologies while growling something she found that she understood.

"_Kagome, I'm so sorry, sorry, sorry"_ was his non-verbal mantra.

"_It's okay. Thank you,"_ she replied in a whining growl. His eyes widened, and he drew back to study her.

"Kami, Kagome . . ." he muttered softly.

"While indeed, my beauty may be astounding, I assure you, I am no Kami," she joked easily. Her weak attempt at humor was rewarded with a sad laugh.

"What have I done to you?" he wondered, gently cupping her now very-sensitive ear. She could hear the comforting rhythm of his pulse in his palm, and found that she could now smell his sunshine-and-evergreen scent, with underlying tones of moss and earth, and the smallest suggestion of saccharine blood that she suspected Shiro lacked.

It was actually a pretty pleasant combination. Idly, she wondered what she smelled like.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, she answered somewhat sternly, "You have given me gifts I have yearned for since I first woke the hanyou on the God Tree and discovered that I lacked certain things that would help me survive."

"You have a silver tongue, Kagome," he told her, cheered slightly, if reluctantly.

"I know. So . . . what exactly did you do to me?" she chirped.

Shin stared at her blankly, blinking a little more often than was strictly necessary.

"Well, I've adopted you as an Inuyoukai, really. Now, you possess everything that an Inuyoukai of your power would possess. Not surprisingly, you're almost at Dai level."

Kagome gasped. "Really?"

He nodded, something in his countenance betraying his amusement. "Were a lower-level bird youkai, for example, to be brought into the clan, they would have duller fangs and claws, have a less imposing aura, and not be able to smell, see, or hear as strongly. Only a Daiyoukai could beat you in a fight, and even then, I'm not sure who would win, given your miko status."

"Hmm. . . . So that means that Kikyou is probably as strong as a Dai, too. . . ." she mused aloud.

"Kikyou?" Who was Kikyou? Oh, right, her supposed previous incarnation and her trainer. "Not a chance. The only other miko who was that powerful was Midoriko."

Kagome's brow furrowed. "But Kikyou's my previous incarnation, isn't she? Wouldn't she have more power?"

"Not if she isn't really your previous life."

"What?"

"Has anyone really confirmed that you were Kikyou's reincarnation, or were they just speculating?" Shin didn't give her a chance to answer, as he continued, "I have a hunch that, as you feel very similar, you are _Midoriko's_ reincarnation."

Kagome looked like Shin just punched her in the gut.

"Think about it; your Soul Blade is a bow, yes, as Midoriko was very proficient at this, but her weapon of choice was a sword. As you are not a carbon copy of my dear friend, and no reincarnation is, you are skilled at both the bow and the double daggers. Were you a swordswoman, I would doubt your validity as her next life, because souls rarely remain exactly the same in the transition between lives.

"Given this information, it is possible to think that, as your auras are the same, if my memory is correct, and your scents are similar, you are the reincarnation of my best friend.

"But the real reason that proves to me that you are, in fact, the next life of Midoriko, is that my instincts respond to you in almost exactly the same way. That is unheard of among Inu."

"Oh . . . my gosh . . ." Kagome drawled out, almost without realizing she did.

_Shin, if Kagome is Midoriko's reincarnation, why didn't we respond to Midoriko as our Soulmate?_

_**For the very same reasons I just gave to Kagome. Midoriko wasn't your Soulmate yet, because the soul hadn't gone through enough lives, but she was fairly close. As you may have noticed, Midoriko and Kagome are very different in both personality and appearance. However, their scents remain very similar and their auras are identical. Still, she was almost half of you, so you were unusually close with her. This explains why you were able to feel her as her last breath left her body.**_

_Oh._

"_**Oh" indeed, my more levelheaded personality. I, however, always prove to be more knowledgeable in matters of the heart.**_

Which was to be expected, given his name.

"Holy crap, Shin, this explains so much!" He was about to say, 'I'm glad,' when she burst out into a flurry of words. "But it also poses more questions. If I am not Kikyou's reincarnation, why would she need my soul to return to the land of the living?"

He thought for a moment, before asking, "Kagome, you did say that Kikyou took a piece of your soul to become this 'clay zombie' that she was before you fixed her?" An excited nod was his reply. "And . . . you mentioned that Sango's little brother was attached to the world of us physical entities by a Shikon shard?" Another nod. "Then because the shard is really just a magical embodiment of your own soul, wouldn't you agree that a stronger substance would be needed to return a dead woman to life? Kotaru's—"

"—Kohaku's," Kagome corrected.

" . . . Kohaku's, then . . . Kohaku's soul merely needed to be _bound_ to this world; Kikyou's soul needed to be _brought back completely_. She needed the _true_ source of the Shikon, and that was your soul, Kagome."

"Oh . . . okay. That makes sense, I guess. . . ."

There was silence for a while, until–

"OHMYGOSH, SHIN! I'MANINUYOUKAI!" Kagome's excited shriek split in his ears. He smiled weakly at her, as she jumped to her feet and began bouncing rapidly.

"I'M AN INU AND MIDORIKO'S REINCARNATION HOW COOL IS THAT OHMYGOSH THIS IS THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!" were the only words Shin was able to pick out from her lengthy squeal. As she was wont to do when overcome with extreme happiness, she pounced on her companion, hugging him surprisingly tight.

"Thank you SO MUCH! You're the best!" she crooned, snuggling closer.

_Shin . . . are you_ blushing_?_ Shiro inquired incredulously.

_**Shut up**__,_ he replied.

A ripping sound ensued as her new claws cut through his hakama.

"Oops," she grinned.

He sighed. She was going to have to get used to her new abilities. Thank the gods for youkai-silk.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Six days later, Kagome approached him shyly. By then, she'd adapted fairly well to Shin's gift to her, with the help of rabbits, does, and other small game. Much to her elation, she'd discovered that she now had a signature reiki attack, similar to Sesshoumaru's poison whip and Inuyasha's blades of blood. For some reason, the ability to possess a signature energy move was specific to youkai. Something about being more adapted to channeling energy. Hikari Mikadzuki, or Crescent Moon Light: she flung crescents of pure white, holy energy from her claws. Her aim was suck-ish, but she was improving. Kagome had yet to figure out why her attack was white, while her reiki was pink. Hikarikiyoi was fluffing her metaphorical feathers that part of her own name was found in her attack's. The miko was experimenting a lot, to see if she had any others.

Returning to the present time, Kagome stepped up to her partner somewhat hesitantly, after they'd finished laying down camp for the night and eaten.

"Shiro. . . ." she mumbled. He turned away from his star-gazing to stare at her.

"Tonight is another Western holiday, called 'New Year's.' It's where the western year turns into another one; typically, people celebrate it in lots of ways, so I thought it would be nice if we commemorated the end of this year somehow. It starts at midnight, when the moon is right above us in the sky."

He refrained from making a snide remark of how many traditions Western people observed; they must be quite the rowdy bunch, if their celebrations were anything to go by.

"So, in recognition of this event, I've prepared a special tea that Kaede showed me how to make. It's a bit—" Kagome then remembered exactly what _she _was now, as a female Inuyoukai, and flushed a bit before continuing, " . . . _pain_ to make, because all of the herbs in it are very rare in these parts, but it's my favorite kind of tea!"

Sniffing lightly, he discovered that she had indeed brewed a special tea for New Year's; it smelled of soft rose petals, faintly of mint, and more noticeably of lemon. The citrus, while strong, was not overpoweringly sour, and the aroma of the green tea was still present. All in all, it seemed like a very light, feminine tea.

_**And you would **_**so**_** enjoy it**_, Shin snickered.

_. . . Keh._

_**You know, 'Keh' and 'Hn' are hardly real words. Better watch your tongue, or your poor speaking habits will carry on to the rest of the world. Language teachers everywhere will curse your name**__,_ he teased.

Shiro barely refrained from replying with 'Hn.'

During his brief mental conversation, Kagome had poured two small coups of her tea, careful to avoid most of the larger plants that simmered at the top of the fluid. With a smile, she glided over to him with her new grace and passed him his cup.

He took a sip, and his eyes nearly rolled back into his head. Damn, that woman could brew tea like no one else. Before he even noticed it, the heavenly drink was gone and he was staring pleadingly at Kagome. He followed her back to the cast-iron pot, settling onto the furs around the small fire.

They drank tea and exchanged words, and midnight came sooner than they had been expecting. A relaxed blanket of laughter, smiles, and easy talk had settled over them, and the fire flickered cheerfully as they fed it periodically. Kagome had made another pot of her tea sometime as they were waiting, and fireflies had snuck into the air while they weren't looking.

As Kagome and Shiro marveled at the beautiful display that Nature was putting on, they missed the turning point for the New Year, laughing and talking as if they were friends since childhood.

The time-challenged priestess would always remember that evening fondly, as the best New Year's celebration she had in her life.

Fireflies winked in and out of existence, and, eventually, they fell asleep smiling.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Lemme tell you a little something about this week. Last Friday, it was my mom's birthday, so we went to an amusement park. Monday, we went on a little family field trip where we all ended up falling down a whole lot. On Tuesday, when school started again for this week (and today), drama HellWeek began, and I'm staying after school every day till Friday an extra two hours. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I am in a play, performing a part I just got on Thursday. I've perfected it, but still; that's A LOT, combined with the part I had first. On Friday, I have four essays in Science due, and I've only gotten three done.**

**Actually, it's not a bad week…**

**Sorry about the slow update! Until spring break, they might slow down a bit. Thanks to everyone for reviewing; please, if you favorite or alert me, just drop a little review by…? Please? Even if it's not a lengthy one that tells me all about what you think, and I appreciate you even reading my story, I'd appreciate a review even more…**

**Thank you!**

**~Kamibi**


	11. Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors.

~Kamibi

_A Month Ago_

"Kagome, how do you get yourself into these situations?" a dark-haired miko muttered frantically under her breath as she sped towards her destination. Crimson skirt-pants fluttered in that way only Japanese people seem to be able to manage, and her legs easily pumped her forward. Inky black locks flew behind her, and a troubled look pervaded her haughtily tilted, almond eyes. A grace that came only with years of practice was evident in her stride, and her brown eyes were distant, yet obviously focused on where she wanted to go. Feet glided over roots, and to the close observer, that would signal that she knew her way around these woods. A faint white light shone from her legs, leaving what looked like a comet's tail in her wake. The figure burst from the tree line, not pausing except to leap over a passing merchant, whose horses reared to her retreating form. The priestess—for she surely was a miko—came into one of the more luxurious huts in the village, smoothly ending her sprint.

"Kaede," she began, pausing only slightly to catch her breath, "It's Kagome—she made a wish. Now she's gone."

The weathered matron turned from her pot at the fire, her one good eye staring at her recently undead older sister. Even before she finished speaking, Kaede was up and hobbling as fast as she could, due to her thigh injury from a recent skirmish with a serpentine youkai.

"Take me to where she disappeared," Kaede said firmly.

_I'm coming, Kagome._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Approximately fifteen minutes later, the older woman and Kikyou hurried into the clearing where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru waited, for once not fighting a bit. Both seemed to be contemplating things that were neither here nor there when the pair walked into the scene, Kaede leaning heavily on her sibling's arm.

"What happened?" she questioned. When one reached a certain age, beating around the bush lost its appeal.

The hanyou seemed to be having trouble forming words, so his brother took over. "Inuyasha and I were having a battle of wits and wills, and the miko made a foolish mistake."

Kaede stared at him blankly.

Sesshoumaru stared back.

Clearing her throat, Kikyou interrupted the contest, "Sesshoumaru-sama, what exactly did Kagome do?"

Her mate blurt out, "Kagome wished to tell Dad all about us, and then this bright light came up and she was gone."

After a few moments of thinking, Kaede nodded. "Then Kagome is in the past, presumably with your sire. There is nothing we can do, save wait for her and hope for the best. Wish her luck, then, and Sesshoumaru, your ward is waiting back in Amaya's hut. You sent her there to wait, and watch the littlest ones of the village." Indeed, Rin had grown to an impressive twelve or thirteen years old; old enough to be deemed a woman in some areas.

The current Lord of the West refrained from commenting on her lack of an appropriate suffix, and her tendency to state the obvious. Any extra clarification couldn't harm anything, as ones of sufficient years will know.

And really, the old priestess was quite young by his standards.

In an unusual and disconcerting silence, they made their way back to the village, to continue on with their lives. Still, everyone had at least a passing thought for the time-traveling miko whose footsteps now traced a distant path.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

It seemed like everything was frozen and waiting, now. No one had really paid attention to how much life and color the miko brought to their lives, and it was only now that she was gone that they were able to appreciate how bright she was. Even Inuyasha, while obviously head-over-heels for Kikyou, found her to be a pale—but beautiful!—imitation of Kagome's veritable starburst of cheer.

He sighed.

Life went on.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

It was approaching that strange holiday Kagome made them celebrate every year. Really, they only remembered because Shippou started dropping "hints" about what everyone should get him this year. When a certain adolescent hanyou snapped certain phrases with the overall message being, "Why am I getting you anything?" a certain young Kitsune was able to fire back a reminder of a certain time-traveling priestess' holiday, where certain people gave other certain people certain things.

About a month, possibly a month and a half, after Kagome's disappearance, something changed. They all felt it; it would have felt like pulling the "Switch Tracks" direction on the great Universal Railroad, if they had known what trains were. There was something happening that didn't happen in the reality as they knew it in the present, and suddenly, there was a small difference in how they perceived the world. The alteration was almost unnoticeable, with many a soul dismissing it as some sort of headache.

The current Lord of the West and a living dead woman's elder younger sister took it for what it was.

Kagome was changing the past.

Again.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

The day after New Year's, Kagome was able to run alongside Shiro—not that she hadn't before, but the curious and painful experience of your regretfully human leg muscles ripping and healing for long periods of time tended to slow one down a bit.

Her new Inu legs, however, were _made_ for running.

She was elated, overjoyed, ecstatic, ebullient, bubble, carefree, and whatever else one could possibly call her. On a whim, she leapt high above their heads and onto a branch, slipping a little before finding her footing and running above her friend, not breaking pace even once.

Oh, yes, it was a great day, and the Inumiko felt like _laughing._

_Hmm . . . "Inumiko" . . . I rather like the sound of that_, she thought smugly.

_**You definitely are unique in your kind**__,_ Hikarikiyoi replied dryly.

_I appreciate the gain in power which will allow me to defeat my enemies with less effort_, came the warrior's somber voice.

Not even her serious alter egos could bring her down.

Beneath her feet, Shiro sped absentmindedly closer to his birth home, subconsciously avoiding everything in his path that could reduce his speed by even a little.

_Shin, it occurs to me that when Kagome realizes that she is my Soulmate—_he began, trying to hide his discomfort with talking about the subject. However, he was not to finish his thought, as his impulsive and brash counterpart cut in.

_**Well, don't be an ass about it, or she won't accept you**__**. **_Ah, Shin, always so subtle and eloquent.

—_her human upbringing might cause her to reject my suit, because I have adopted her into the House, and ningen see adoption differently. _Eyebrow barely resisting ticking, he shared his dilemma with the blockhead.

_**Oh . . . I hadn't thought of that.**_ He sounded small.

_I do tend to do most of the thinking._ Maybe the heir didn't need to be so snide, but really, now.

_**I'm gonna let your rudeness slide in face of this issue. Next time, though . . . **_Shin glared at him.

Shiro kicked a rock out of his route with more force than strictly necessary to move a pebble, and it soared almost a quarter of a mile before his sharp eyes saw it fall into the trees.

_**Adopting someone into a clan is different from adopting, say, a child into your family. It's not even really a form of adoption. It just brings an outsider in.**_ Shiro almost missed the first part because the other personality in his head began so suddenly.

_I know that, but how can we tell Kagome?_

_**Um.**_

_. . ._

_**Cross that bridge when we get to it?**_

_. . . Hn._

He ceased the conversation with his Inner, instead returning to the reality beyond his mind's eye.

What he noticed put him on high alert.

He slowed a bit to put a couple feet between himself and his smaller travel buddy, then jumped effortlessly into an arc, the peak meeting Kagome midair as she jumped to another branch. He caught her before she landed, coming back down and landing softly.

It was a perfect parabola, not that either of them knew what that meant.

She was stock still, eyes wide and muscles tensed. Gently, he poked her in the side.

Her blue and gold irises turned to him, silently asking, "_Why?_"

"We are merely ten miles from my father's palace," he murmured under his breath.

Holy crap.

Thanks for the early warning.

Not.

"What do I do?" she inquired breathlessly. The news knocked the wind out of her; this was it, Shiro was getting married, and she . . . was not. How did the castle get so close?

"If you were still a ningen miko, I'd tell you to wait outside. Meeting Inuyoukai is a strange and potentially-dangerous experience to everyone save other Inu. But because you are nearly a Dai, you now hold the third-highest rank in the court, my father being first and myself being the second."

And since when did she have such high standing in a youkai court?

"The rest of the officials will likely be displeased about my adopting you into the clan – relax, Kagome, I only brought you into the Silver Inu House; you are not considered my relative by any means—" Well, that was easy. "—because of your miko status. However, there is a chance they will see you as a unique and powerful asset to the branch; it will set them apart from the other branches, giving them an unprecedented advantage in holy power."

Finally, she spoke. "Are the branches at war?"

"No, but there is some hostility between the three. Silver and Onyx have always fought over the title as Head, but for now, we are an top. Copper is a little upset over always being last in the hierarchy, but they know that for a functioning court, we all need to cooperate as much as possible. We all know that, and people who believe otherwise are quickly . . . eliminated," he finished coldly.

Kagome could understand that; disturbers of the peace were nothing but aspiring troublemakers.

Sighing, he tousled his bangs a bit and began her crash course in etiquette. "Refer to me as My Prince, and my father as My Lord when in public. No one else needs any title from you, but remember to be polite. We'll need as many allies and friends as possible." By the end of his abridged lecture, he was distracted and his brow furrowed, obviously under a lot of stress from this meeting.

She wondered if he even noticed what he had implied with saying 'we' (like it was them against his entire family) and what it had done to her. It took a few moments to get her heartbeat under control and to beat back her blush and calm her breath. She had to control herself; it had been four years since she was a blushing schoolgirl, following blindly in Inuyasha's footsteps.

Dropping his hand, he looked at her again, and his expression softened into a slight smile.

There went the past few seconds she had taken to regain the reins over her body. It was all erratic again, and she pretended like she didn't know he noticed.

Uncharacteristically, he brought her in for a gentle hug, soothing her rising nerves in the warmth of his being and the softness of his clothes. All of her worry about the impending meeting melted away as they stood in that clearing.

His smile widened on top of her head as her distressed aura settled down. It was nice to be able to make her feel better, after so many years of only laying eyes upon those who feared and hated him.

_**Ooh, the Mighty Heir to the West is in loooove!**_ that annoying voice in his head sang.

_Be still. I'm not even entirely sure if I love her enough to be her Soulmate yet. I accept that I love her, but I know not to what extent._

For once, Shin was struck dumb.

Then he exploded. Apparently, he found Shiro's indecision to be incredibly dense.

_**You love her enough to adopt her into the clan, when no human has ever had that honor, just so she could share your lifespan.**_ He sounded incredulous.

_You did that._

_**WE ARE THE SAME!**_

Shiro did not have a comeback.

With this point in mind, he began again, revealing his plans to a shocked prince.

**We**_** love her enough to do our damnedest to follow her back into the future. We love her enough to forget all of our duties as Prince and just love her our entire lives. We love her enough to feel guilty about it because we are such good friends, and friends don't love each other like this. We love her enough to not care, because we'll just stop being friends.**_

In a whisper, he said, _**And we love her enough to wait for her to figure out she loves us back.**_

_And what if she doesn't, and never will?_

_**Then we love her enough to love her anyway.**_

It was surprising how attached Shin had gotten in such a short period of time. He was normally so detached and introverted. There was just something about that girl that changed him.

In his entire debate with Shin, he had tightened his hold around the girl in question until it felt like he had enough power to keep her there, should even the gods summon her back to their world.

"Shiro?" she asked.

His glazed eyes suddenly cleared and flicked down to her, before suddenly releasing her form and turning back to the path.

"We should get going. It should only take a few minutes to arrive at the palace."

She followed, but couldn't help but notice how he wouldn't look her in the eye.

What had been running through his head as his grip tightened?

Kagome felt like she should know it, but she wasn't ready to hear what she thought it was.

She denied her feelings for him with superficial and insubstantial excuses, with none more persuasive than the fact he would probably be getting married tomorrow.

_**Kagome**_** . . .** Hikari was about to say something to her, and she knew she didn't want to listen.

_He's engaged! He's my friend's dad, and he's my best friend, and he dies! Dammit, I can't fall in love with a dead man!_ She cried desperately.

Her mind stilled.

When did . . . ?

How . . . ?

She . . . him . . .

_**He doesn't have to be a dead man. He doesn't have to die, you know.**_

Now that she accepted that she . . . loved (her heart just fluttered, she swore it did). . . him, having denied it for what seemed like forever, there was no way in hell she could let him down, or let him die like he had in her reality.

Kagome began planning for something big, and possibly suicidal, and most definitely insane.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Man, this chapter was a pain in the butt to write! I was looking back at my previous chapters, and I was appalled by how much they sucked. Good Gosh, they're so cheesy!**

**Apart from certain realizations, it was also hard to write because I've recently fallen back into the Naruto world of fanfiction. First it was Sasuke and Sakura, then Sakura and Deidara, and now my favorite of all time (besides maybe Kakashi and Sakura or Gaara and Sakura) Itachi and Sakura.**

**I only like Sakura pairings for some reason.**

**Reviews would definitely help me get over this struggling period. I almost gave up, before I remembered my promise to anyone who got to eleven chapters.**

**Also, just one review for **_**Can You Repeat the Question?**_** would greatly improve my mood.**

**I am not above begging for reviews. Please, please, please?**

**Oh, yeah, I have some polls up. They're just for fun, but it would be nice if someone did them.**

**Thanks for reading,**

**~Kamibi**


	12. Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer: I'm just a poor, innocent, teenager.

Pfft.

Well, even if I'm not that, _per se_, I AM most definitely not the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, must settle for pretending to control her colorful characters. So don't sue me, because it's not cool to sue minors with an alliteration fetish.

~Kamibi

"Halt!" the guard on duty barked. He glared menacingly at the two worn travelers lightly dashing up the steps (all 326 of those thrice-damned marble steps). The two large, very intimidating snow-inu statues to the right and left of him rippled to life, snarling and growling at the intruders.

Strangely, the taller one sighed and waved a hand lazily. "Really, now, Hisoka, I'm insulted that you didn't recognize me at first glance."

The hulking monoliths sniffed, then retreated somewhat reluctantly back to their posts. He couldn't blame them; it had been a while since some random idiot had dared to attack the palace, and all three of them were a bit battle-antsy.

Still, the pair continued, trudging on. Discreetly, Hisoka took a sniff of the air, quickly puzzling apart the finer nuances.

_**The female smells like regular Inu, but she has an unprecedented power and is faintly charged with miko-energy; mainly vanilla with spiced undertones, also present is Stone and Earth and Forest and Hunt, indicating Silver, and vaguely ozone.**_

_**The male is pure Inu, very powerful, smells like moss, so royalty; sunlight with fresh evergreen, race is Stone and Earth and Forest and Hunt, Silver Inu as well. . . . **_Suddenly, he remembered why the scent was so familiar. _**It's Shiro!**_

Guards of the Takahashi clan were trained to identify individual based on scent, define the rank, then pick apart every aroma on the person. Hisoka was the top of his class in that particular area, which he was appropriately proud of. Of course, that meant that he was on guard duty the most, so the skill wasn't as convenient as it might seem.

He bowed deeply to the waist, sounding out a loud, "Welcome Home, Prince Shiro! Welcome, Honored Guest!"

Shiro sighed again and continued on, nodding slightly as acknowledgement. The girl followed him wordlessly, carefully keeping her expression blank, but he could smell her awe.

Straightening, he decided that reunions and explanations with his childhood friend could wait until after they met with Shiro's father, the ruling Lord of the West and Alpha of Silver.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"'Honored Guest'?" Kagome questioned almost inaudibly.

"_Not now_," Shiro mouthed back to her.

She obeyed, and followed him as gracefully as she could while he easily wove through the crowded corridors, making what seemed like a random path to the large doors at the center of the palace, as she garnered from her new sense of direction.

_What was the winding route for? I'm sure we could've just walked straight here_, she wondered.

_**It was to make a non-verbal and somewhat personal declaration to the residents here that he has returned, and that he is still the heir of this castle**_, Hikarikiyoi replied without missing a beat.

How very political.

Shiro's deceptively quick steps had forced her to concentrate on making it seem like she was gliding along after him, instead of what the castle looked like. She decided that eyeing the palace and asking questions could wait until after Shiro had taken them wherever he was going – presumably, his father's room.

But because she instinctively stared at the ground a lot as a foreign Inu in new territory, she did notice the smooth, pale blue stone floor and the luxurious wide rug that covered the middle of every hallway.

It was a deep red, like many of the royal blood's auras, she had noticed, and depicted many scenes of Inus achieving victory in various battles.

Without Kagome noticing, the pair had reached two very large, very imposing, and very simple polished wooden doors. They shuddered open, each at least a foot thick, and a booming voice that seemed to fit them rang out.

"After many years of traveling, you return with a bitch," it stated. It was strong and rife with authority.

Kagome reminded herself that she was an Inuyoukai, now.

"Honored Father, I have returned with . . . my Soulmate," he bowed and informed, hesitating on the last bit. The court would have to know now or give grief about it later; he regretted not giving Kagome any warning, but it had to be done.

_Well, now that that's out in the open. . . ._ She felt like she'd just been slammed in the gut by a very lovable ball of happiness. And then very, very angry at Shiro for telling these people before talking to her.

_**Do not pretend that it was not obvious the entire time**_**,** Hikarikiyoi chided.

_Indeed, the bond is too great to be ignored_, Ketsueki chimed in.

_**Although now is perhaps the time to forget that for the moment.**_

Shiro's father snarled, commanding the shell-shocked audience to leave with a warbling growl.

In the blink of an eye, they had disappeared, the doors now closed.

"Son. . . . " his tone had changed dramatically; now, he sounded softer, kinder. Most of all, he sounded tired. "I have awaited your return for centuries."

"I have missed you, as well, Father," Shiro replied, relaxing now that the watchful eyes of the court were off of him.

Sato heaved himself off of his throne, and limped his way down twenty steps as if his bones rejected the movement, then crossed the expanse of thick carpet between him and his heir.

Now that he was closer, Kagome noticed that he was more attractive than any human male, his features sharper and more rugged than Shiro's. His son, however, was taller, and lacked the frailty of body that Sato's royal robes skillfully hid. For all of his youthfulness, the Dai's sepia eyes held more depth and spoke of years endured that blended into each other in his memory.

He gazed at Shiro, staring him straight in the eye, and then pulled him in for a hug. His thin limbs shook with emotion, as he sobbed soundlessly.

"Oh, my son. . . ." he murmured, "You remind me so of your beloved mother. How long I've been deprived of your presence . . ."

Shiro wrapped his arms around his sire, eyebrows knitted together in an expression of sorrow felt in the past. "I am here, now, Father." His golden eyes closed, holding back the tears that begged to be released.

Sato let go of him and stepped back. All traces of his recent lapse in control were gone, and Shiro showed no sign of having experienced it.

Kagome decided that it was a guy thing.

"And you are here with a bitch," he repeated, this time jovially. "Your Soulmate, no less!" His brown eyes – for he had eyes the shade of darkened caramel; Shiro must have inherited his eyes from his mother—crinkled around the edges, and crow's feet were revealed.

Shiro coughed a little, and said, "Father, Kagome was originally human; she is . . . unused to such terminology."

The miko smiled brightly and shook her head. "Oh, no, it's fine. I _am_ indeed a bitch, and proud of it."

Shiro choked. _Serves him right. _"Daughter, you are more than any bitch. You are my son's Soulmate, or so he claims," Sato laughed.

Sato had that strange way of ancient beings to refer to the younger folk as his children.

"Father, you're embarrassing me. . . ." Shiro muttered as Kagome said, "Ah, yes, I think we've both been thinking it for a while, now."

They stared at each other as the Dai watched amusedly.

"You . . . You've known?" he asked, incredulous.

"Of course I have! How could I not? You have no common sense, sometimes," she claimed haughtily, hiding the fact that she had very recently (as in right after he said it) come to terms with the idea of being Soulmates.

Hey, she had learned over the years that nobody has the time to debate over whether or not they'll accept something to be true when one knows that they will eventually. After all, you could be dead before you told them you loved them, and that was a sad way to die.

"Kagome . . . I need to tell you something." He took a deep breath. "I—"

The doors burst open, and the privacy of the throne room was violated as a female Inuyoukai burst into the chamber shrieking. She had a very strong scent that Kagome was incapable of withstanding, given her recent change. It made her dizzy and nauseous at the same time, and she had trouble remaining upright.

"FATHER! I have been informed by the castle dogs that Prince Shiro has returned. Why was I not told beforehand of his coming arrival?" a shrill voice complained, ringing in all three of the Inus' ears. Kagome winced.

"Lady Kyoei," Sato replied stoically, his intimidating mask back in place. "You are not of my clan, I ask that you cease referring to me so casually." His request was ignored.

Eyes caked with a garish blue shade of make-up landed on Shiro, and she flounced over, daintily lifting the trail of robes that heavily followed her.

"Oh, Shiro, my love—" she simpered, rushing to grasp his arm. Shiro held up a clawed hand threateningly and growled a warning. "_Tread carefully_."

Kyoei whined in response. "_Sorry, forgive me, sorry._"

"Lady Kyoei," he bit out, veiling his disgust and agitation expertly (but Kagome could see right through him). "Like my father, I ask that you refer to me with my proper title and keep in mind that this marriage is not of love."

She burst into noisy tears, wailing, "Oh, Shiro, how can you say such things to me?" Thick trails of blue bled down her powder-white cheeks, painted lips quivering.

"Because they're true?" Kagome ventured snidely. Kyoei was not exactly a pleasant character.

Those crying eyes dried instantly and landed on Kagome. "And who is this whore you've brought with you, my love?"

There was silence.

The Inumiko stared at Kyoei with wide eyes and an open mouth.

_**Kagome, Shin wants me to tell you something.**_

_THAT BITCH IS GOING TO DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS BY MY CLAWS_, she roared in her mind

_**Challenge her to a Blood Ritual.**_

"I challenge you to a Blood Ritual," Kagome repeated softly without questioning Hikarikiyoi.

A look of amusement came upon Kyoei's doll-like face. "Shiro, say something! She can't challenge _me_, she's just a simple concubi—"

Her cheek was slapped, and her words were interrupted before she could provoke a seriously politically-damaging homicide.

Sato wiped his hand on a handkerchief hidden in his robes. "The Lady Kagome is an honored guest. She is an Inu priestess of great power, and she is my son's Soulmate. I cannot allow you to insult her in this way without punishment."

Kyoei knelt down and groveled at Sato's feet. "Please forgive me, Father, I didn't know!"

Shiro and Kagome observed that his foot twitched like he wanted to kick the thing kissing his shoes. "Rise."

She scrambled to her feet.

"Leave."

She ran back out, and the doors shut once more.

Sato sagged and crumpled onto one of the nearby chairs.

"I'm sorry, Shiro," he uttered sincerely.

"It is alright, Father. I understand."

He turned to his newly-appointed Soulmate. "Kagome, I'm afraid Kyoei was right on one point. You can't challenge her," he apologized.

"Why?" she sneered. "Because I'm just a 'concubine'?"

_Why am I being so mean?_

_It is instinct_.

Ketsueki would know.

Shiro looked like he'd just been slapped. "Because you are not of the same rank," he said quietly. Kagome's rage immediately quieted, and she apologized to him without saying anything. He nodded in acceptance, his father observing the silent exchange. "The Lady Kyoei is merely the seventh daughter of a Daiyoukai; you are the Soulmate of the first heir of the Western Lands, and almost as powerful as myself. She is to you what a peasant is to her; a Blood Challenge would not be fair."

Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry for being so snide, I just . . . I wanted to defend my . . . I don't even know. And don't think I missed the 'almost' in there. We're going to have some words about that, later," she glared.

Sato chuckled. "Many females would have leapt upon Kyoei and ripped her throat out in their fury. I am happy to see that my son's Soulmate is not so irrational."

_About the Soulmate thing . . ._

"About the Soulmate thing . . . Shiro and I haven't really discussed that, yet, " Kagome grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of her neck. "So, if you wouldn't mind . . ."

"Of course, of course! Shiro will lead you to your lodgings – on the opposite side of the castle from Lady Kyoei," Sato winked. "I trust that a single room will suffice as long as you are in my home."

Sato stared meaningfully at Shiro, who now sported a very, very light blush and refused to look directly at Kagome.

"Well, then; shall we take our leave, Lady Kagome?" Shiro bowed deeply and extended his hand with a flourish.

Kagome stifled her laughter and took it, imitating a curtsey. "We shall, Prince Shiro," she declared, with the slightest hint of a giggle.

Sato blinked, and they were gone.

"Ah, young love," he smiled. Shaking his head nostalgically, he returned to his throne to ponder over this new turn of events.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Wow," Kagome breathed out.

_**It is quite impressive**_, Hikarikiyoi agreed.

Indeed, it was. Thick, navy curtains draped from the tops to the bottoms of the twenty-foot-tall windows, pulled to the sides by ropes of similar material. Through the delicate glass, a garden of white flowers and stones and trees sprawled artistically. On the right wall from the two large windows a translucent canopy of silver descended from the ceiling, parted to reveal the equally-disproportional bed, taking up a quarter of the ridiculously large room. The cover was a soft, cool material of navy blue with pillows of white and black. On the opposite wall from the windows, the door to the room was open, permitting access to its new denizens.

Slowly turning to the right and to the door there, Kagome pulled it open and sucked in a breath.

"My father said that this room was adequate, but I had no idea. . . ." Shiro murmured.

"You've never been in here?" Kagome turned.

He shook his head. "This room has always been reserved for my mate and me. The room that I grew up in is closer to the chamber we met my father in."

Kagome nodded absently, then returned to gaping at the washroom. She registered a low chuckle from behind her, but paid it no mind. Flickering orange lights strategically placed on the walls made the steam glow softly. The stone was carved into a room, the center of it being a pool-sized hot spring. A mirror covered one wall, somehow resisting the fog. Spotting her reflection, she gasped.

"Shiro, I have a request," she stated firmly.

He laughed, then turned to leave. "Go ahead, but don't take too long because I want to bathe as well."

_Why do you not ask him to join you? Would that not be more efficient?_ Ketsueki asked curiously.

_Ask him to join me? It's improper!_ Kagome sputtered.

_**Shin says he would not mind**__,_ Hikarikiyoi supplied shyly.

_I'M BATHING BY MYSELF_, she yelled mentally. _**Besides**__, I'm too dirty to do it, even IF I wanted to. . . ._

The gentle thud of the door signaled its close, before Kagome slowly pulled her top off, a smile spreading across her face. She tugged the ever-clean haori from her hips and let it pile on the floor. Her chest bindings were unraveled, and she slipped into the perfectly-hot bath. The grime she'd accumulated in the past months floated away and disappeared.

"Ah . . . It feels so good to have a proper bath with soap," she groaned happily. She dumped some aromatic oils she found on the sides into the water and dunked her head, before lathering it with some kind of shampoo. The miko then settled back to think, her golden-flecked eyes lidded and her fanged mouth set in a slight frown.

_Now . . . What to do about Kyoei?_ She thought.

_**Nothing good**_, Hikarikiyoi broke in, uncharacteristically sadistic.

Not that she minded.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**I am so, so, SO sorry for taking so long! *kneels to grovel* I've been writing this paragraph-by-paragraph for a couple months, now, even though I had no inspiration. The wonderful readers who favorited me and alerted me kept me going, even though only a couple bothered to review. Not a single flame, either, and I really hated this story for a while. I almost flamed myself.**

**Guys, I love you.**

**Also, I started high school. I feel old, now.**

**Please review! Tell me what you think, and I'll either continue or change things to satisfy you guys. If you spot any mistakes, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I hate leaving those unchecked.**

**Thanks,**

**~Kamibi**


	13. Chapter Thirteen

By now, I assume that you all have read my disclaimer. . . .

"Shiro?"

His head turned in the direction of the voice, sitting up a little straighter on the bed. His boots had been discarded, tossed somewhere in the room, and the little claws on his toes were revealed. A few inches up, there were indigo strips on his ankles.

Kagome blinked at them, dumbfounded.

"Yes?" he replied, drawing her attention back up to his face. "Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

_Oh my goodness, his feet are adorable!_ Kagome squealed to her ever-present audience.

". . . Right. I did want to ask you something." Pulling her the thin yukata tighter, she sat next to him and pulled her own feet up.

She stared him meaningfully in the eye, and asked, "When will you be marrying the Lady Kyoei?"

He winced, and replied, "Tomorrow evening. Are you sure that—"

"I will be officiating the ceremony? Yes. Absolutely," she declared.

They gazed at each other, exchanging a thousand words in a single look, and then the silence was broken.

"So . . . before . . . What were you going to say before Kyoei waltzed in?"

Shiro's expression took on an embarrassed tint. "What I meant to say, was that . . . I love you, Kagome." The last bit was muttered so softly that she wouldn't have heard without her enhanced auditory faculties.

"I love you, too," she replied impulsively, matter-of-factly, before she thought about it and lost her nerve.

There was a heavy silence, before Kagome asked, "Well, what now?"

Shiro tackled her in a hug, pulling his arms around her closely. "Higurashi Kagome of the Silver Inu clan, will you officially become Soulmate?"

Her eyes swam, and she nodded her assent. Suddenly, her vision began to redden, and instinct started to take over.

_Hikarikiyoi? What's going—_

_**Relax. Ketsueki is taking over for a little while.**_

_What? Why—_

_**She is your Inner Youkai.**_

The resulting inquiries were saved for later as she realized that Shiro had also been taken over by Shin.

She supposed it was part of the ritual.

Her fangs sank into the back of his neck and sucked on the wound, drawing the blood into her mouth.

Shiro delicately pulled her shoulder out of the robe, and placed his bite just below her left collar bone—and right above her heart. When he withdrew a little, she saw that his lips were smeared with red.

_Was that all? That wasn't so bad_, she claimed.

_**The most difficult part is about to begin. Many die in Soulmating, simply because one is too weak or too strong.**_

"Now, then. . . ." he murmured, voice rougher and deeper than she expected. It sent shivers down her spine.

A tendril of his power snaked its way into her wound, stinging and soothing simultaneously. It inched its way deeper, into her spirit, closer, _closer._ . . .

A scream split the air. Dimly, she realized that it was hers.

_IT HURTS IT HURTS HELP HURTS_

_**Ketsueki and I cannot absorb this pain for you. You must endure it, Kagome.**_ Hikarikiyoi sounded ever-so-slightly worried.

Shiro held her thrashing limbs down, then bit out, "Kagome! You must transfer some of your aura to me! KAGOME!"

_**She will die if she doesn't**__,_ Shin cried. _**You have to stop!**_

_I can't! The ritual's already begun!_

_**STOP, DAMN YOU!**_

"No!" Kagome cried, startling them both. Had he spoken aloud? "Don't! I can do this. . . ." she heaved.

Bringing a dainty hand up to the back of his head, she dumped her power into the break in his skin frantically without a care for his comfort, or lack thereof. She'd apologize after she survived.

The sudden assault of agony forced him to collapse on top of Kagome, whose form was now as tensed as his.

Their mouths opened in silent screams, their limbs trembled as the pain reached new heights, becoming truly unbearable for a second that lasted an eternity.

And then it was gone, disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived.

_Somehow, I have this feeling that I just barely survived that,_ Kagome stated quietly.

_**If you had hesitated a second longer, you wouldn't have.**_

Shiro peeled off of her, the sweat having stuck them together, falling with a thud to her right.

"I'm sorry."

She turned her head. "For what?"

"For the lack of romance, for how abrupt it was, for how much it hurt—I apologize." He licked the skin underneath her ear in a canine request for forgiveness; coincidentally, it was also the spot that he had bitten to adopt her, and it was still sensitive. Kagome nuzzled his cheek in response.

_It's fine,_ her voice said, but her lips didn't move.

She felt his surprise. _Kagome? Are you in my head?_

"What?" Her eyes opened wide.

_**Apparently, you two now have a mental connection.**_

"I suppose so," Shiro laughed.

_Well, how do I turn it off? I don't want him in my head all the damn time!_ she panicked.

_**You must close your mind off, by raising a wall of will.**_

_. . . That sounds completely ridiculous, but I will give it a try, anyway._

As she was focusing, Shiro broke in.

_You could just ask me to leave, you know._

_Shiro!_

_Alright, alright; I'm going. Just know that I do not approve of your blocking me out._

He grinned at her.

She huffed at him.

"I love you," she said, pulling him closer. Every touch felt like pure ecstasy in comparison to the recent torment they had both gone through.

"And I you," he smiled.

_I have this feeling in my heart. . . . It's . . ._

_**It is natural. You desire your mate.**_

She blushed darkly.

_**Do not think to fight instinct. It will overcome you.**_

And so she gave in.

He didn't seem to mind.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Shiro," a soprano voice whispered, "Why won't you love me?"

Almond-shaped eyes stared at herself sadly in the mirror. Seeing the strength and self-dependence of that bitch Shiro had brought home, it...made her think. About things she'd long left buried where no one would ever see, least of all her.

_**You are pathetic**_, her Inner Youkai snarled.

_Flashback_

"You are pathetic."

"Who said you could cry?"

Her mother and sister hit her across the face, leaving deep scratches where their manicured claws touched. She didn't resist.

"Your ugly red eyelids displease me." They were a rarity in the Venom clan. "You should wear makeup."

"I hate your red markings. Here, let's cover them up." White powder was rubbed so hard into her face that the skin was peeled off in some places.

"Since you like red so much, let's paint your disgusting mouth red."

"Heh, I love your tears. They're the only good thing about you."

"Nobody will ever love you, you stupid wretch."

They left her quietly sobbing on the floor, face smeared with blue and white and blood.

Her grandfather gingerly picked her up. "Oh, Kyoei, what have they done to you?"

"I'm sorry. . . . I'm ugly. . . ."

"Child, how many times have I told you not to listen to them? Your face is beautiful, as beautiful as your kind soul."

"Really?"

"Really." He smiled. "Now let's go get that hideous paint off of you."

"You should keep it off of your face, the makeup. You look better without it."

When the dark miko came and eradicated her entire family, save herself and her father who had been away since she was born, she wept only for her grandfather.

"Hello, Kyoei."

"Hello, Father."

The day everyone died was the day she met her sire because he was forced to return to his ruined estates, and the day he signed away her hand in marriage to the highest bidder.

She kept the white on her cheeks and the blue on her eyes to hide the invisible tracks of the tears. Not once had she looked at herself without the facial paint since then.

_End Flashback_

_I am weak_, she thought, for the first time. _I am weak._

Sneering at her reflection, she roughly wiped away all traces of her mother and sister's influence.

_I won't listen to them anymore._

She rubbed at her cheeks and eyes, scrubbing the false colors away until they dissolved.

Still, she clawed at herself.

_They won't control me_.

Her breathing was shaky as she waited for the torn skin to heal, then raised her eyes again.

_Grandfather, are you there?_

She saw her beloved grandfather cleaning the abuse from her face in her red eyelids. She saw him smiling at her in her elegant markings. She saw him holding back the miko and telling her to run in the crescent moon on her brow.

The last tear she would ever shed made its way from her eye.

She had the look of a woman who had finally come into touch with reality.

"Now, then. I must become strong," she declared, glaring determinedly at her new personality.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Prince Shiro!"

He looked up from his plate of meat. Kagome, to his right, did the same.

"Lady Kyoei," he acknowledged.

To their surprise, she knelt down at his feet. "I apologize for my indecorous behavior of the past. It was inappropriate, and my clan would have been ashamed to see me. Please, forgive me," she stated strongly. Her voice was no longer a falsetto, and when she looked up impassively, her face was clean.

"Lady Kyoei, please, you should come eat with us," Kagome smiled, offering her a hand.

For a fraction of a second, Kyoei showed astonishment and gratitude. Then it was gone, and she delicately took the offered hand, seating herself across from Kagome.

She caught the miko's scent, and understood.

_It seems that Shiro and the miko have Soulmated. I should not expect any romance from this marriage._

_**You have your duty**_, the reborn Lady's Inner replied.

"So, how are you doing?" Kagome beamed at her, swallowing a fork of food.

"I am well," she replied politely.

"Oh, it is a good day! Even though I wish my family was here with me. My little brother, Souta, was the funniest thing, ever! He . . ."

Kagome babbled happily for a while, and Kyoei understood the underlying message.

_Thank you._

Kyoei's lips twitched upwards slightly, and she decided that the inumiko was her ally.

_She will make a good Lady of the West_.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Messenger."

Daisuke was startled from his napping, springing to life and saluting the person who had woken him.

She appraised him coolly. "I would have you deliver a letter to my father."

"Ah, yes'm, may I have the scroll?" He held out his hand, subtly smoothing out his ruffled clothing.

The noble youkai stared at him with absolutely no emotion. "'R.'"

She turned and left.

"And perhaps you should not be caught sleeping at your post."

He bowed cheerfully, screaming, "YES, MA'AM," before taking off to deliver the letter.

_She's certainly a strange one._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Congratulations!"

"What a unique ceremony!"

"People will be talking for years!"

"We wish you the best of luck!"

Kyoei sat nobly by Shiro's side, staying respectfully two feet away from him and his mate.

But the night soon ended, and the guests took their leave.

"Prince Shiro, nothing will make this easier. I propose that we produce an heir tonight, and then have only several months to irritate each other before cancelling our marriage."

Both Shiro and Kagome blinked at her emotionless declaration.

"Well . . . It does make the most sense, although I don't like it at all," Kagome admitted grudgingly.

"Will you be alright with it?" Shiro asked worriedly.

"It is necessary," she sighed.

"We will conduct our business in the guest room," Kyoei stated, leaving to wait there.

" . . . And I am sorry, Lady Kagome."

Kagome laughed and slapped the base of Shiro's tail. "Go get her, Tiger!"

Shiro yelped and followed Kyoei. "I hope you know how unpleasant this will be!"

Kagome's smile turned bitter, and she replied softly, "Oh, you have no idea."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

At breakfast the next day, the atmosphere was exceedingly awkward.

Kagome and Shiro began at the same time.

"So . . . did it work?"

"You are pregnant."

Kyoei, never faltering in raising the fork up to her mouth, replied, "Yes."

"Oh."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Hello?" Kagome called out timidly. Immediately, all of the kitchen staff turned and bowed deeply before returning to their jobs. Every night was a feast at a palace, after all, and they never had a quiet moment.

The head chef wiped his hands on a towel and approached the Inumiko with a welcome smile on his face. He was a rabbit demon, appearing middle-aged with a warm look about him. "What can I do for you, Milady?"

Kagome giggled nervously. "Please, just call me Kagome." He nodded amiably. "And, um, I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help?"

Servants around her turned to look, and some even dropped what they were holding. The chef gazed at her with wide eyes. "Oh, no, Mi—Kagome, such work is ill-befitting—"

"Please." It wasn't a request, it was an order, and everybody knew it. He deflated visibly, then relented. "I suppose the dish-washers could use some help. . . ."

The raven-haired priestess clapped her hands together and beamed. "Wonderful! I'll do my best to help you all out!"

And she did.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

As she walked down the hallways she had rapidly become familiar with, Kagome heard whispers about her.

"Did you hear –"

"—saved the gardener's life—"

"—helped in the kitchens—"

"—so kind and beautiful—"

Blushing, Kagome did what she thought any noble would do:

Held her head high, ignoring the comments and refusing to blush.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Hey, Shiro?"

"Yes?"

"Promise me something."

"Anything."

"Raise him well. He is your son, and you should love him as if he were ours."

"I cannot promise—"

"You shall."

" . . . Alright."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_I hope he listens to me. Sesshoumaru might not fight so much with Inuyasha if his father loves him more._

_**Kagome—**_Hikarikiyoi sounded urgent.

_Although, they probably wouldn't know what to do with themselves. I mean, both being sons of Shiro, you'd think they'd inherit some of his wisdom. Really, do they have to argue all the time?_

_**Kagome!**_

_What?_

_You forgot to close your mind off,_ Shiro informed her mischievously.

"Hey, you, eavesdropper. You were supposed to be asleep." She elbowed him in the side.

"So, I name them Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, huh? And they fight all the time?" He grinned at her in the dark, propping his head up on his hand. "What are they like?"

"They're actually the reason I came here. I made a wish to tell you about them, and—"

_OH._

"I got my wish," she whispered.

A blue light began to glow around her, and her form began to fade in front of Shiro. They looked at each other, sadly and fearfully. He reached for her hand, but only felt her for a second as she disappeared.

"Kagome!"

"Shiro! Shiro, I love you! Remember what I said about Sesshou—" The light flared, and her voice was drowned out.

He clutched at the empty air where she had just been and stared disbelievingly. It was so sudden and unexpected, the heartbreak was taking a moment to catch up.

"I love you, too. . . ."

And then he howled.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**So . . . A couple comments . . .**

**The mating scene (or rather, what happened after it) made me blush insanely. I felt very guilty as I wrote it. I apologize. It is embarrassing.**

**Halfway through the Kyoei scene, I realized that I kind of liked her character, and that I might make a one-shot of her story. Might.**

**I'm going to try to update every Friday, okay? Okay. If it's been any longer, check my bio for any updates on that to find out what's going on.**

**Nobody kill me for making Kagome leave. You won't find out what happens, next.**

**Thanks for reading (and please review! If I get ten reviews, I'll update on Tuesday!),**

**~Kamibi**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

There was a pulse of power that hadn't been felt in a very long time.

Kikyou dropped her bowl. Without a word, she darted outside.

"Kikyou! Where are you going?" Kaede yelled.

"The well!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. They all looked at each other, then took off after her.

Kagome was back.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

She appeared at the bottom of the well, hands outstretched and crying, "—maru!"

Stunned and shaking like a leaf, she sank to the ground, pulling her knees up to her face. A headache and an acute sensation of loss smashed into her, and she choked out a hysterical sob.

"No, no, no, it's too soon, I can't come back, I can't, I can't, I CAN'T." She curled into a smaller ball, tears streaming from her eyes as she refused to accept what had happened, but her heart still clawed at itself and her breath was ragged and uncontrolled.

She supposed that being several centuries away from your mate put some strain on the bond.

_Shiro?_

A disconcerting emptiness answered her, and her headache redoubled its efforts. Whimpering, she gave up trying to contact him and yelled at herself, instead.

_Why am I so stupid?_ Kagome moaned.

_**You simply forgot. It has been a while since you first made the wish.**_

_It is not entirely your fault, Kagome._

"KAGOME!"

In her unstable state, she barely managed to cast an illusion around her to mask her new features before Kikyou's anxious face appeared on the side of the well.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"The palace seems . . . empty without the Lady Kagome," Kyoei remarked as she and Sato were playing a board game, the precursor to chess.

"Indeed. Do you recall the time in the gardens where she made a fuss about killing the snails there? The ruckus she made? How she startled the old gardener off of his ladder, only to catch him?" The aging Dai smiled.

Kyoei's eyes softened slightly. "Considering the fact that she was here only for three days, to have made such an impact on everybody is quite an achievement."

"Indeed, everyone seems slightly deflated now that she has left," Sato continued, absentmindedly moving a piece.

"Shiro is not taking it well. He has hardly left their room since she disappeared, clinging to the remnants of her scent. I worry for the heir inside of me; he will be powerful, but without a strong father figure . . ." A frown settled onto her lovely features, and she rested a hand on her swelling belly.

The elder laughed somewhat bitterly. "But what a strong mother figure he'll have! You've impressed us all with your unceasing drive to train, even with your pregnancy. And such a change of personality; I must say that I much prefer your current attitude over your old one."

Her lips curved up, and she took her turn. "Lord Sato, you remind me much of my grandfather. He was very dear to me."

"As I recall, Reizo was a good one. It was a pity he passed so soon; this world could've benefited greatly."

She averted her gaze. "He was what motivated me to strengthen myself."

He appraised her knowingly. "And so you told your father that you would strive to be more like Reizo, and that he could no longer control you."

Kyoei met his eyes sharply. "How—?"

"Poor Daisuke was so confused about the 'letter' you gave him," he smiled. "I, of course, knew immediately."

"Of course, you being omnipotent," she voiced dryly.

He chuckled, then stretched after losing the game.

"I am happy to have you here, Daughter."

The princess stared at his back as he went inside.

A smile dared to cross her lips, and she rubbed her stomach lovingly.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Sango frowned at her friend who sat in the corner of the hut, mindlessly sipping a bowl of broth and staring into nothing.

It had been four months since Kagome had been pulled out of the well.

_Flashback_

"KAGOME!"

"Inuyasha—!"

A thud was heard, then the silver-eared hanyou leapt out of the well, a small form in his arms.

Suddenly, everyone was crowding around her, Shippou jumping onto Miroku's shoulder to look at her, wisely deducing from her scent that using her shoulder as a perch might result in her breaking.

Her eyes were open wide, leaking tears.

She hadn't spoken since.

_End flashback_

Things had worsened about two months ago, when they found out what had happened.

_Flashback_

"Kagome, are you well?" Kikyou asked frantically as her sister miko heaved again, vomiting. She ran a quick sweep of reiki through her system, and gasped at what she found.

"Here, let's get you inside," she said, helping her to her feet and gently walking into the hut.

Kikyou spoke some soft words with Kaede, who nodded gravely and made her way over to Kagome, who had slumped into the corner, staring blankly again.

The old woman placed a hand on her stomach, checking, then spoke. "Kagome is two months pregnant with a hanyou child."

Then questions.

"But how did Inuyasha and Shippou not smell it?"

"Her holy aura must have shielded it."

So wrapped up in their theorizing were they, that neither noticed the tear that made its way down Kagome's blank face.

_End flashback_

Given the unpredictable nature of hanyou, no one was sure exactly when Kagome's due date was. No one knew who the father was, either, nor which species he was.

Given her depressed state, they all assumed that she had been raped, and chose not to speak of the child around her.

Which was just as well, save for the fact that her enhanced hearing heard every hushed conversation.

It hurt to think that they thought Shiro had raped her, but then again, how could they know what had happened?

She hadn't spoken to anyone since her return.

She hadn't recovered enough.

At four months, it seemed that she would have been in her third trimester if her child was a human.

"Mama? Look what I found!" Shippou presented a small flower, smiling hopefully, wishing for anything, any response he could get.

Kagome's face softened infinitesimally, and she took the bloom, tucking it behind her ear and stroking the little kit's face.

Satisfied, he hopped onto her lap and curled up, quickly falling asleep. She finished her soup, then set the dish to the side and leaned back against the wall, joining her adopted son in slumber.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kyoei's large, furry face was strained and sweaty as she tensed her powerful leg muscles. Her lip curled in a snarl as she forced herself to push harder, and she restrained any sound of pain.

Shiro, also in his inu form, circled her, keeping anybody who would approach out of range. Thick blood spattered the painstakingly-swept ground of the consecrated chamber. Where it splashed outside of the seal, the ground was eaten away by the venom in her blood. Low lighting blurred edges and softened lines, and soothing aromas drifted off of the candles that flickered.

Her claws dug into the floor, leaving deep wounds that would be healed the next morning.

After hours of labor, the princess's head tilted back in a howl, and the young Lord whined in chorus. Their auras exploded brilliantly, and when it faded, the pup was revealed. He was quickly washed off, and Kyoei sagged in exhaustion. Her youki swirled around her, revealing her exotic, naked form. Her cheek pressed against the cool tile, and she exhaled slowly.

Shiro approached her, wrapping her in a robe and bringing her over to the adjacent room furnished with comfortable cushions and couches. She rested on one and waited for her son to be brought to her.

She did not wait long. Soon, the sniffling newborn pup was brought in, his eyes still closed and small form shivering. Kyoei draped him in her robe, offering her breast to nurse on. He took it gratefully, leaving small fang marks behind.

Kyoei didn't flinch.

"You have done well," Shiro sat down by her side. It was the first time he'd said anything since Kagome's leaving five months ago.

"You must be strong for him," she told the prince sternly, ignoring the compliment. Politically-conceived or not, this newborn was her pup, and she would be the best mother she could. After carrying him for so long, she had developed some affection for the tiny creature suckling her bosom.

"Sesshoumaru. . . ." he stated after some time.

Kyoei thought about it, and nodded approvingly. "It is a good name. He will be known as Takahashi Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West when he is grown."

"But I'm Lord of the West, now," Shiro laughed slightly. "Now that Father has fallen ill, he is unfit for the position."

"You cannot falter, and you cannot surrender."

"I will not."

"Then you might be an honorable leader yet, Lord Shiro."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

As Kyoei and Shiro spoke in the distant past, Kagome held her own daughter in her arms.

"I must be strong for you, little one," she murmured affectionately. "I'm going to be there for you, always."

The new fuzzy-eared, blue-eyed hanyou grinned toothlessly and gurgled at Kagome, who smiled gently in return. While she had Kagome's eyes, her white ears and silver hair were all her father's.

"If only your father were here; he would have loved to meet you."

"Aah!"

Kaede slowly stepped in, having changed the bloody sheets Kagome had delivered her daughter on. Though she didn't show it, she was glad to see Kagome acting with some life in her. Her eyes were sharp again, and her cheeks had some blood in them.

"What will ye name her, Child?"

Kagome thought about it. She thought of what Shiro would want to name her, and smiled sadly.

"She will be Takahashi Misaki." _After his mother._

Outside the hut where the rest of the group was, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stilled.

_Takahashi?_

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**So I wrote this on Saturday. Yes, it's short, but this is just a transition chapter. A very depressing transition chapter.**

**Because it's Saturday, I don't know if you guys did the ten-review thing! So far, you've done five. Come on, guys! Just five more!**


	15. Chapter Fifteen

"SESSHOUMARU!" Shiro bellowed angrily.

A high-pitched yelp responded, and clumsy hands and feet scrambled to report to the voice. The little naked humanoid boy bounded on all fours down the hallway, bared bum proudly in the air, fluffy tail swishing, silver hair streaming behind him. His small, fanged mouth was agape, his golden eyes wide and curious.

Arriving at his destination, the infant skidded on his rear, somersaulting a couple times before sprawling prostrated before the Lord of the West. He lifted his head to beam at Shiro, his tail wagging excitedly.

"_Hello, Father!_" he barked, climbing up his leg. Before he could make it to his head, however, he was plucked off and dangled by the back of his neck in front of his sire.

Shiro glared at him accusingly, making Sesshoumaru's gaze drop, and his tail tucked neatly between his thin legs.

"When were you going to tell us that you were capable of transformation?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, cocking his head in a perfect imitation of confusion.

"I know you speak human, I heard you begging the cook for dessert."

He huffed. "I wanted to surprise you!"

"You mean you wanted to get into trouble and not get blamed because it had been a humanoid youkai that did it, not a four-legged pup," Shiro corrected dryly.

Said humanoid youkai grinned at him and his tail started wagging again. "Yep!"

Shiro quirked a brow. "No, you're too intelligent to pull a minor trick like that. Let's see. . . ."

Sesshoumaru's face paled.

"You didn't want to start training early, did you." It was a statement, not a question. Sesshoumaru was remarkably advanced for his tender age of three. Most pups didn't transform until they were seven; Shiro was terribly proud of his son for this, but he was never going to let it show.

He hung his little head in shame.

"The other inu already laugh at me so much for being so little, I don't want to get picked on by bigger bullies!" he howled despairingly.

"Son . . . you're stronger than them." Shiro's eyebrow twitched.

"But Mother forbade me from using my power!"

"Oh, she did, did she? Let's go have a little chat with her about that." As he began to stalk towards the training grounds, he glanced at his son, who still dangled comfortably by the back of his neck.

"You'd better change into your inu form, Son. You're naked," he ordered, half-amused.

With a little "woof," Sesshoumaru did just that.

"And walk behind me; I won't carry you like some hand bag."

Sesshoumaru's doggy face stretched into a smirk.

_Phase One complete._

_Proceed to Phase Two._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Kyoei! What have you been telling my son about not using his powers on others?!" Shiro exclaimed, slamming the dojo's doors open. Kyoei paused mid-strike on her sparring partner, who respectfully bowed and left.

"I have said no such thing. Sesshoumaru should crush everything that stands in his way," she replied proudly.

"Then, what—?"

"Hell's Bells, the kid is doing it!"

"Buck-ass naked, too."

"Aren't you embarrassed, Akuto, that little pup can do it perfectly, and you got your ass handed to you?"

"Shut up!"

The Western Lord and Lady looked at each other, before making their ways to the obstacle course, where their son was grinning and flawlessly passing through it. Various weapons and attacks were flung at him, and he expertly avoided them all, maintaining his balance on the precarious field. He side-stepped the spurts of fire that erupted from the ground, flipped over the swinging blades and alighted upon a wooden post. In an amazing display of acrobatics, he cart-wheeled and spun around the throwing knives that zoomed at him and finished perfectly on the other side.

Silence ensued as they all stared at Sesshoumaru, who removed his blindfold and smirked at them all, having achieved his grand master plan.

He was probably about to say something incredibly egotistical and insulting, when his mother and father both roared, "_TAKAHASHI SESSHOUMARU! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!_"

"I just embarrassed Father's best warriors," he replied nonchalantly. A few of the more good-natured demons laughed at his audacity, but the younger, brasher soldiers gritted their teeth at the annoying pup.

Shiro was ready to throttle the little runt, but Kyoei held him back. "Those doors are restricted to pups for a good reason, Sesshoumaru. You could've gotten hurt, today, or hurt someone else." They both knew that wasn't the reason; Kyoei didn't want him show-boating.

The instructor coughed. "Actually, Prince Sesshoumaru just passed the final test with his eyes covered. That was the most difficult challenge available in our training program.."

Sesshoumaru put his hands behind his head, a self-satisfied grin on his mug.

Until his mother wiped it off for him, dragging him back inside by his ear. He protested the entire way, then the doors closed and he could no longer be heard.

" . . . So, the final test, huh? And that was the hardest level . . . ?" Shiro frowned thoughtfully. It'd been a couple centuries since he'd finished training, and the obstacle course was a new addition. He picked the blindfold up off the ground and stared at it for a moment.

"Mind if I have a go?"

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Lord Shiro, please do not sulk at the dinner table just because you are not as limber as a three-year-old pup," Kyoei reprimanded him coolly.

Instead of obeying, he leaned heavily on one hand and asked his son incredulously, "How did you do it?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "It's hard to hit a small, fast target, Father."

"You are large and slow," his ex-wife told him.

"He knows," his son told her.

Affronted, the Dai stood up and his chair announced, "I'm going to my room."

Mother and son looked at each other, sharing their mirth.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

At Misaki's birth, Inuyasha stormed inside at "Takahashi Misaki," scaring the baby and startling her mother.

As every youkai knows, surprising a miko—and a _mother_ miko, to boot!—is not the wisest idea.

As Inuyasha discovered, narrowly evading a beam of holy energy.

Any and all violent words to be exchanged were forgotten as Inuyasha got a good look at Kagome.

Without the illusion she had cast before being removed from the well. Her true scent was released, and fangs and claws were revealed. Her ears were pointed, and her eyes had golden flecks in them.

Tentatively, he sniffed the air to confirm what his eyes were seeing.

"You're a Silver Inu!"

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru was also in the hut, having scented another of his clan.

All were shocked speechless.

Misaki wailed, beating her tiny fists against Kagome's sternum, and the newly-revealed Inu let her daughter into her robes to nurse.

"Miko. You will tell This One how this is possible," Sesshoumaru stated, concealing his raging emotions.

"Oh, um, Shiro adopted me into the house and then, um, we kind of . . . mated?" She offered a hopeful smile.

"WHAT?! Holy Hell, Kagome, you MATED my FATHER? What the hell were you thinking? Do you know how wrong that is?" Inuyasha spluttered. Calming down abruptly, he pointed at the adorable little thing on Kagome's chest. "Is that . . . our sister?" he asked.

She hadn't really thought of that. "I suppose she is."

"As mate of the previous Lord of the West, you are Lady of the West, which means that you are currently the ruler of the Western lands. I am prepared to duel over the title," Sesshoumaru stated.

"My, you're almost a carbon-copy of Kyoei," Kagome giggled. "Relax, I'm not after your position." Sesshoumaru's eyes widened.

"You have met my mother?"

"Hold up." Kagome raised the hand that wasn't supporting her newborn. "Let's call everyone in here, and then I'll tell everyone everything."

So she did.

It took a while.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"So, basically," Miroku began, "You went back in time, fell in love with Inuyasha's father, found out you were Soulmates, mated him, married Sesshoumaru's mother and your own Soulmate, and then returned to this time after conceiving a child?"

Kagome blinked.

"Well, there's a lot more than that, but . . . yep. Pretty much," she said.

Inuyasha was outraged. "Wench, that took five seconds to say! You're so long-winded!"

His screaming upset Misaki, who began to cry. Before Kagome could say "Sit," he was over in front of his baby sister, apologizing softly and cooing nonsense at her. She giggled lightly and pinched his ears with her tiny, clawed hands.

Sighing, Kagome handed over her daughter so that Inuyasha could play with her.

"Could you hold her for a few minutes? I want to catch up on my sleep," Kagome explained, reclining onto the floor and closing her eyes.

Inuyasha was ecstatic. He bounded outside, carefully securing his prize in his arms, presumably to play with the child.

"Since Mama is a youkai-miko mix, now, does that make Misaki a hanyou or a full-youkai?" Shippou wondered aloud.

"I gathered from her aura that the infant has inherited her mother's combination of youki and reiki, although with greater demonic force," Sesshoumaru answered blandly.

"So Kagome's about three-quarters miko, and Misaki's three-quarters demon?" Sango clarified.

It was a redundant question, and nobody deigned to answer. They all filed outside, letting Kagome catch her rest and perhaps dream of her lost love.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Man, I am cranking these chapters out like it's cool.**

**By any chance, does anybody here love Blue October obsessively?**

**Also, for every five reviews that I get, I update a day earlier than Friday! Be good at arithmetic and review! Although, if I get 35 reviews, obviously I can't review the day before I post . . . But I still want 35! Please? I'm having too much fun writing these transitions.**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Sesshoumaru's moods were never easy to predict.

Some days, he'd be the perfect picture of his ice-cold mother; others, he'd make mischief and headaches like his father.

As an adolescent pup, barely eleven in human years, it was to be expected.

In the beginning, when Kyoei and Shiro had severed their marital ties, Sesshoumaru was confused.

If Mother and Father didn't love each other, why did he exist? And why did she still live with them?

Not that he wasn't happy with having his mother around, of course.

As someone explained to him, he gradually came to terms with the fact that he was not born from love—rather, he was the result of a contract.

Sesshoumaru didn't mind. That made him special, and special usually meant 'superior.' Which he definitely was.

He was a brilliant child. Trained by both of his parents, he learned more elegant methods of killing with graceful motions and arcs of poison (his whip was proving difficult to master), and less subtle ways of dashing in and out of an enemy's guard with the flash of a blade and the turn of a foot.

He preferred a combination of the two styles, resulting in something unique and utterly Sesshoumaru.

At seven, he'd surpassed his teachers, so he'd been taught by his parents for several years.

Sometimes, when he felt like it, he glided around on a cloud of youki. He took care not to do so around his father, though, because he always got this strange, wistful look on his face that seemed like the floating reminded him of someone.

Trotting about on four perfect, silver-furred legs, he slipped off the castle grounds and sniffed out some prey. He was growing bored around the castle, and figured a good kill would clear his head.

Some days, he would be like his aloof and masked mother, and some days, he'd be brash and open alongside his father.

And on days like today, he simply felt like being himself: Sesshoumaru, Heir to the West.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Dogface! Dogface!" Misaki gurgled, reaching up to happily grab 'Dogface' by his forelocks.

Inuyasha's eyebrows seemed to be conflicted: annoyed or enchanted?

Kagome stifled her smirk expertly, and signaled her daughter.

"Dogface, Misaki no want Dogface, want Mama," she cried, suddenly bursting into tears. Inuyasha panicked and all but threw her at Kagome, quickly dashing from the hut to make Misaki happy.

The little toddler delicately pulled herself off of Kagome, neatly folding her legs under her and clasping her hands primly in her lap.

"You are amazing," Kagome nuzzled her forehead with her nose, "my little prodigy two-year-old."

"I know. Now, about the compensation you promised. . . ." Misaki trailed off with a smug smile.

Kagome sighed. "I was hoping you'd forget."

The small hanyou stared at her skeptically.

The miko shrugged in response.

"Alright, come on, ya little brat," Kagome relented, taking up her hand and walking outside.

"What happened to 'little prodigy?'"

"Ya little prodigy brat," Kagome amended.

Walking around town, Misaki adopted the role of a wide-eyed infant, deliberately forcing her steps to be less graceful and smiling blithely.

She whispered too quietly for anyone save Kagome to hear, "How long do I have to pretend to be an idiot?"

Without moving her lips, Kagome replied, "Until you are old enough to defend yourself. A cute, innocent little baby has more chance for survival than a freakishly-intelligent child."

Silently, they both knew that the statement applied only to human young.

Approximately ten minutes later, they reached a small spot of clear ground in the woods, safely out of sight and hearing range.

"Purify the tree." Kagome wasted no time in training her daughter; they barely had an hour as it stood.

Wordlessly, Misaki launched a bolt of pure energy at the plant indicated, searing a neat hole through it.

"Now destroy it."

A crescent of radiant youki surged from her palm, disintegrating the unfortunate thing.

She hid it well, but Misaki was slightly exerted. While having control over both holy and demonic energy, she had very small reserves. They were unnaturally shallow, something which constantly worried Kagome.

A wooden stick flew at Misaki, and she barely had time to catch it before an inumiko soon followed.

Misaki began a mainly-defensive dance of blocking, evading, and swift movement, desperately avoiding Kagome's every strike.

Then, for the first time ever, the little one saw an opening and took care not to waste it.

She darted in and hit hard, relief flooding through her before she realized that Kagome hadn't reacted to it.

Not even a little.

Now too close to avoid the blow, Misaki was thrown back, a hastily-thrown up cloud of energy softening the landing. She couldn't fly yet, but she was working on it.

"You did well today," Kagome complimented, pulling Misaki to her feet.

"I didn't win again," she pouted.

"I should hope not! I was trained by the very best," her mother cried, both proud and indignant.

Misaki blinked. She didn't really know anything about the miko who'd raised her, so she asked, "Who?"

Kagome glanced at her sideways. "Your father."

She patted the ground next to her, and Misaki settled down curiously. "My father?"

"What was he like?"

"He was Takahashi Shiro, Lord of the Western—"

Misaki interrupted, "I know that. What was he _like_?"

Kagome was hit by sudden nostalgia. Gathering herself, she replied, "He was wise and honest, and he was a tough teacher. He protected what was his, and always tried to do the right thing. He loved me very much."

She touched Misaki's nose playfully. "He would have loved _you_ very much, you little brat." Misaki giggled.

"And did you love him?"

A chip in Kagome's bright exterior appeared, revealing the grief she'd been carrying for two years. Her smile faltered for a moment, and her eyes clouded. "More than anything. I loved him more than everything. . . ."

And then it was hidden again, her sadness tucked away. "Except for you, little one!" She stood.

"Well, now that I've held my end of the bargain, what say you we head back home and eat something?"

Misaki held her hand and sat down on the cloud of pure energy that appeared underneath them to whisk the pair away to their hut.

Her mother had always loved flying; she'd always been jealous.

She wondered if her father could fly, too.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Yes, I know this chapter is painfully short. I'm sorry. There is no inspiration.**

**Also, Ancient time passes differently than Feudal time. A year in Feudal might be ten in Ancient; I don't know. It just is.**

**I don't even know what's going to happen next. My muses are currently debating over it.**

**And I am very, very sorry that I haven't uploaded anything in **_**forever**_**. My mom took my computer, and I didn't have any way to work on it . . .**

**:[**

**As always, thanks for reading**

**~Kamibi**


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Okay, so maybe venturing off into the woods wasn't such a great idea. It was getting dark, and there was obviously no hunt to be had.

Still, the Great Sesshoumaru-sama would not admit fear or trepidation. On four paws, he padded confidently through the undergrowth (being in Inu form made him feel safer).

Something rustled in the bushes. The sun decided to stop giving off light at precisely that moment, and Sesshoumaru's instincts warned him of impending danger. Just as he summoned a cloud of youki to flee from the scene, a large mass burst from the foliage and tackled him to the ground.

"Oh, you're so _cute_!" it squealed in delight, and then attempted to squeeze the life out of him in a deadly hug.

Sesshoumaru protested, affronted, and transformed into his humanoid form. He barked indignantly up at her as she stumbled back in surprise.

"Oh! You're a demon!" she cried out, startled.

"Yes, and you'd better not come any closer, or I'll destroy you," he warned, trying to make his voice sound deeper, and stood up taller in an attempt to be threatening.

The young human stared at him as if he were insane. "You're also naked," she laughed.

His face became very warm, very suddenly. "Yes, well, I'm returning home to my castle, now. Good-bye." And he marched off imperiously into the woods.

"You're going the wrong direction," she called after him in amusement. His face twitched.

"And how would you know?" he asked her in derision.

"I look at the Inu palace sometimes from the top of a hill near my village."

He didn't know what to say to that. " . . . Alright."

"You're lost, aren't you?" she asked, still smiling. "Do you want me to lead you back home?"

Sesshoumaru contemplated that for a moment. His mother would disdainfully accept the assistance and dismiss her upon arrival; his father would smile sheepishly and allow the girl to lead him back to his home, probably rewarding her or something when they got there. Either way, logic told him to follow her back home, but he would do so with pride.

"I will allow that," he nodded, and then trudged back to where she stood with his nose in the air.

She hid her grin and replied, "Thank you. And you might want this." She shoved her cloak in his face.

Peeling it from his head, he reluctantly wrapped it around his form and followed the strange human as she led him home.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Hisoka didn't remember his life being as unusual before his friend's Soulmate showed up. Everything was normal, and easy. And very, very boring.

Still, sometimes, he wondered if she had been insane and decided to infect his life with craziness.

Like now. The new prince walked sullenly behind a cheery human, swathed in a garment that probably belonged to the larger girl.

As they passed, Prince Sesshoumaru glared at him, as if to scare him into silence. The human smiled at him and barked, "_Hello!_" in Inu tongue. While strange, it definitely didn't top the list of weird that had become his existence. Hisoka nodded obediently to the prince and did not look at his companion, and decided not to comment on the pink flowers all over the heir to the Western Lands.

Although he did make a mental note to laugh about it with the boy's father later.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Wow! The Inu palace is so pretty on the inside; I'm so glad to finally be here," she gushed enthusiastically.

Sesshoumaru gruffly replied, "I will take you to my father, so that you can receive your reward and leave quickly. Someone has to be waiting for your return."

"Oh, just my mother, and she said she'd be fine as long as I returned before midnight," the girl grinned. "My father is off traveling the lands as a healer."

Sesshoumaru was taken aback, unsure of what to say, before he decided on, "I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright!" she assured him. "Now, where's _your_ sire, the Lord of the Western Lands?"

The uncomfortable boy gestured to the towering wooden doors before them. They opened in response to his youki signature.

"Prince Sesshoumaru," Lord Shiro began, "where have you been? And who is this girl?"

It occurred to Sesshoumaru that he did not know her name.

"I am called Chiharu, my Lord," she declared in a stately voice, bowing gracefully and losing the wide grin that she'd had the entire time Sesshoumaru had known her.

He was slightly offended that she knew how to behave around royalty, yet did not show him proper respect.

"How did you come to meet my son?" his father intoned. When he spoke as the ruler, it was hard to discern any emotion he might have had, but Sesshoumaru was pretty sure that he was impressed by her manners.

"He was hunting in the woods and I scared off his prey in my clumsiness. But tracking the deer had led him far from the path, and he required assistance to return home," she lied smoothly. Perhaps Chiharu wasn't as bad as he'd initially thought.

Of course, everyone in the court could smell her deceit, but he thought it was kind of her to try.

His father nodded in acceptance of this new information, and then declared, "I will reward you handsomely for helping my heir. What do you wish to possess?"

Chiharu paused to think, holding her chin thoughtfully and staring off into space. "May I leave for my home and return tomorrow morning?"

Shiro inclined his head. Chiharu bowed deeply again, then left the room skipping.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"But Mooooooom," Misaki whined, "I don't waaaaaanna go into town again, the people all look at me funny." She stomped her foot and imitated the way the villagers stared at her—mainly her ears and tiny white tail that she'd developed last year.

Kagome tugged a little roughly on the collar of the too-small kimono. "Well, it's your fault that you keep having your growth spurts. Seriously, you're five years old and you look like you're nine. What's up with that?"

Her daughter fixed her with a dry look. "Gee, I dunno, maybe that's how it works with hanyou. Dogface said that he had an accelerated childhood."

The older miko rolled her eyes. "One, you shouldn't trust Inuyasha with anything; two, if he'd grown up normally, he might behave as an adult; three, I think I liked you better before you developed such a strong sense of sarcasm."

"I thought the genius toddler freaked you out."

"Hardly. You were adorable; what happened?" Kagome sighed dramatically and finished dressing her little one.

Without really making an effort, Misaki slashed at her mother with her claws. The strike was easily deflected, and Kagome took the hand and pulled it outside with her.

"Look, we need to get you clothes. This entire thing will be over much more quickly if you'll just _behave_," Kagome negotiated.

Misaki nodded slowly. "Alright, fine; I'll be good. But I expect the usual payment later."

"What? Why should I pay you?"

"I'm saving you several gray hairs and your reputation; you're dumber than Dogface if you think you're getting out of it this time," Misaki argued convincingly.

Kagome sighed. "I suppose you're already graying me enough; I'd rather not grow old before I'm thirty."

A smug smile was her only response.

Damn brat.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Faster, Misaki!"

"I can't go any faster! Do you want me to drop you, or something?"

"Please, I can fly by my—HEY!"

"What? You said it was okay."

Kagome glared at her from her new cloud of reiki. Misaki was working on flying today, and she was struggling with the process. Even though she had amazing control over her energies, she could only use one at a time; together, the youki and reiki formed a relatively large well of power, but separately, they were very small. And since she couldn't use both simultaneously, well . . .

Expelling huge amounts of energy was exceedingly difficult for the young hanyou.

Coming back up to where Misaki was struggling with it, she told her gently, "If you're having too much trouble, we can stop for today and go home. . . ."

"No. I can do this. I just . . . need to focus a bit more." She gritted her teeth in exertion.

Kagome was ready to knock her out herself when Misaki did something that Kagome never saw coming.

Taking a deep breath and relaxing her muscles, she closed her eyes and reached inside herself. As Kagome watched, the barriers between her youki and reiki began to break down. She and Misaki had actually been talking about doing something like that for a while now, but Misaki could never concentrate enough and they weren't sure what would happen. There was more youki, but could the reiki purify it?

Then every wall between her energies was gone.

Her dark red youki from her father and the light pink reiki from her mother swirled together and formed something new, something different.

Something Kagome had seen before.

Then the cloud of energy below her daughter disappeared as she lost consciousness, and she tumbled from the sky.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

That night, Sesshoumaru decided to visit his grandfather.

After having been gravely ill for some time around his grandson's birth, he was no longer fit enough to live normally. Shiro had secured a cave near the palace for Sato to reside in, where food and water would be brought to him daily, and where he could rest from a long life of responsibility.

As Sesshoumaru approached his dwelling, he called out, "Grandfather?"

A few moments passed, and a low rumble returned to him. "_Sesshoumaru?_"

He transformed into his canine form as a sign of respect for his crippled grandfather and replied, "_Did you know my father's Soulmate?_"

He sat his much smaller form approximately four feet from the giant nose that lay on the ground before him, eyes averted in submission.

"_Of course. I met her just before she left for her home."_

"_What was she like? Did she get along with my mother?"_

"_She was open-minded and kind, never judging people based on who they were or what they'd done. As long as you were nice enough now, she'd be anyone's best friend. As such, she and Lady Kyoei got along splendidly."_

"_Would . . ." _Sesshoumaru steeled his nerve. "_Would I have liked her?"_

Sato's great booming laugh resounded throughout the cave. "_She would've liked you."_

Sesshoumaru nodded in relief. He wanted to have at least been able to form a friendship with his father's Soulmate; sometimes, he wondered about the other half of his father's heart.

As he started to leave, Sato spoke again, "_Can you keep a secret, Young One?"_

Not one to pass up a bit of mystery, he nodded enthusiastically. "_Yes, Grandfather."_

"_Before the Lady Kagome left, I scented a pup growing in her womb."_

Sesshoumaru's eyes grew wide, and he immediately began frantically barking questions, but Sato was asleep once more, and there were no answers that remained to be had for the prince of the West.

After a time, the pup closed his eyes, too tired to run the five miles back to his bed, and fell asleep.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"What do you think it means?"

"I'm not entirely sure."

Misaki's eyes cracked open, revealing her mother and her older brother standing over her. "What happened?" she croaked quietly.

"You combined your energies and passed out. I thought we agreed you wouldn't do that until we'd learned more about it, _especially_ not while you were flying!" Kagome scolded sternly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, knowing that Kagome was only worried about her; regardless of how she behaved, she loved her mother very much and didn't like to cause her any trouble.

The older miko's eyes softened, and she gathered Misaki into her arms in a tight hug. "You scared me, Brat."

Misaki rolled her eyes over her mother's shoulder. Dogface crossed his arms and smirked before ruffling her hair affectionately.

Then Kikyou walked in, leading the entire group, Sesshoumaru included. The Daiyoukai had begun to visit a lot more often since Misaki was born. Shippou bounced over to Misaki's bed, jumping on it and sitting with her. They'd developed a strong bond over the years.

"Why is everybody here?" the girl questioned.

"We thought we might put our heads together and try to figure out what new flavor of freak you are now," Inuyasha quipped.

"Thank you, Dogface, but I was asking the people who had a greater vocabulary than me. Shippou, would you mind explaining in a more civilized manner?" Misaki smiled blithely. Inuyasha spluttered, but there was no real anger behind it.

"Mama called us all here to attempt to explain what happened to your energy," he replied with a smug grin at the oldest hanyou.

"Kagome tells us that you somehow . . . merged the youki and reiki inside of you?" Sango piped up.

Misaki nodded. "I was attempting to exercise them, and I was frustrated with how small my resources are. So I broke down the barriers between them."

"The final result is a pure white energy," Kagome stated. "Misaki, if you could. . . ."

At her daughter's fingertips emerged little tips of the new energy, like tiny candles. After a moment, she extinguished the flow.

"The most obvious question we are faced with now is 'why is it white'?" Miroku spoke up. "After all, her demonic power has always been a deep red, and her reiki has always been pink. So how did it become white?"

"The energies that youkai, priestesses, and monks use come from the same place," Sesshoumaru shared, "the realm of the Kami. Perhaps in that realm, there is no difference between them. There is only energy. Then, upon entering this world, the nature of the one who channels it determines whether it is reiki or youki. In Misaki, the energy remains pure, and whole. May I conduct an experiment?" He reached towards his younger sister as a request for permission. She nodded, and he took her hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked, curiously.

"I would like to see how youkai react to this new energy," he told her. She looked at him a little skeptically, but did as she was told. Upon contact with the Daiyoukai's skin, it hissed and bubbled. He retracted his hand after she stopped, calmly assessing the damage as his skin and tissue rapidly grew back.

"It almost felt like purification energy, but . . . cleaner, somehow," he observed. "Now, Miroku, if you could—?"

The monk was already up and taking Misaki's hand. "Please don't injure me too severely," he winked. She giggled, then charged the monk's hand. He made a face, and waited until she stopped to pull his hand back.

"You're right, Lord Sesshoumaru. It does feel cleaner, but it also feels a lot like youki to me," he assessed.

"Kagome, you said you'd seen this type of energy before?" Kikyou asked.

She nodded. "Yes, after I was adopted into the Silver Inu clan. I could fling crescents of the white energy from my claws, and any arrows that I fired from Hikarikiyoi were charged with it."

Inuyasha spoke up, now. "Sounds a lot like my blood claws, Kagome. But the fact that being able to manipulate energy that way is only possible with youki means that your reiki attack and the demonic nature of it combined to make it the white energy. And since your bow is a youkai weapon—I'm not gonna ask about that one—and you probably purified your arrows, well . . . same thing."

Everyone blinked a little at his sudden wisdom, then chalked it up to his pretty much being the father figure of his little sister. It's hard to retain your numbskull-ness when you have a little girl looking up to you.

"Anyway, now that we've cleared up the fact that Misaki is the weirdest of the weird, can we eat dinner?" Then again, Inuyasha was nothing if not an expert numbskull.

Everybody moved to leave, and once all but Sesshoumaru, his sister and her mother had exited, the current Western Lord had the last word. "It is an interesting concept; the level of power you exert is only a measure of how well you conduct it from the kami world. I think Misaki will find that she is very powerful, indeed." Cryptically, he ducked below the low doorframe and was gone.

" . . . Now what do you suppose that means?"

Kagome shrugged.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Are you absolutely certain that you know where you're going?"

"Oh, yeah, it's just this way!"

Chiharu's voice broke through to Sesshoumaru's fuzzy ears, waking him just as two pairs of feet came upon the entrance to his grandfather's cave.

His large red eyes stared at the intruders for several moments. His new ally (he refused to call her a friend) stood before another human female, apparently leading the way. Chiharu's thick black hair was again tied back in the ponytail on the side of her head, and this time, she had on a dark blue kimono.

Her mother looked to be about thirty in human years, face pretty and round. Her hair was loosely tied up in a bun, and her eyes appeared as if they laughed often. Her mouth was set in a smile, and she wasn't much taller than her daughter.

The smaller human (although she was a good half-foot taller than he) peered closely at him and said, "Sesshoumaru?"

At this, he lifted himself off of the ground and haughtily padded past them. He threw a look over his shoulder, then nodded towards the direction of the palace.

The sisters blinked at each other, then followed him as he led them to their destination.

"Oh, his tail is just as fluffy as you described!"

Sesshoumaru smirked in pride.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Now breathe in . . . breathe out . . ." Kagome instructed, setting an example by inhaling and exhaling slowly.

"This isn't what I had in mind when I requested training," Misaki grumbled, but did as she was told.

"Hey, do you wanna figure out this . . . white energy, or not?"

"Mom, 'white energy' sounds stupid."

"Do you have another name for it?"

"Zentai."

"That's—oh, you little brat, that's actually pretty good."

Misaki smirked and was whacked upside her little head for her intelligence. "Ow, Mom, you're gonna undo the braid you forced on my poor head this morning!"

"Shut up and meditate, you nuisance."

Rolling her eyes, Misaki began the process of completely and utterly relaxing her mind.

After some time—she found that she didn't care how long—she was sufficiently at ease to search inside of herself.

Following her flow of energy down to the pools in her stomach, she saw something that made her gasp.

Or, well, do the spirit-equivalent of gasping. She was shocked, okay?

Apparently, she'd done more than dissolve the barriers between her energies; she'd dissolved _all_ the barriers; namely, the one between her and the parallel universe that the energy came from.

As she watched all of the empty space in her reserves fill up, she soon realized that if too much Zentai poured in, her energy system would rupture and . . .

She didn't even know what would happen. She just had to make sure that it didn't.

Because she had people counting on her to be the perfect child, and she was damned if she let them down.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**I've recently realized how truly annoying long notes are at the end, so I'm trying to cut back.**

**I hope the stupidly long chapter I've just cranked out for you makes up for the superbly long time I was absent.**

**I apologize for any boring-ness, I'm tired and uninspired. Muse, sing in me and through me tell the story of what is apparently crap. I'm sorry.**

**Thank you for reading my crap,**

**~Kamibi**

**EDIT:**

**I just realized a very huge plot hole. Very, VERY huge. I fixed it, not to worry. :] Sorry for the inconvenience, guys.**

**Thanks,**

**~Kamibi**


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Meandering lazily through the halls of the palace, Daisuke pondered all that had happened in just the past eleven years.

His beautiful mate had come to him then, asked him to send a letter; that wasn't so unusual in and of itself, given that he was a messenger, but it was a rather peculiar encounter.

They didn't hit it off immediately—in fact, she constantly scolded him about his laziness, and he constantly called her unfortunate names—but somehow, the harsh teasing became gentle teasing, and the teasing eventually turned into flirting.

Within seven years of their first meeting, they were happily in love and mated.

Now, a pup was on the way, as he'd just found out moments ago. He had status, wealth, an heir, and a lovely partner to share the rest of forever with.

A grin slowly spread across his face, and he howled for joy as he realized something.

He was going to be a father, and nothing could ruin this moment.

"Daisuke! Return at once. We must inform Lord Shiro and Prince Sesshoumaru of our relationship," Kyoei's voice rang out from somewhere in the castle, obviously unconcerned with the fact that Lord Shiro and Prince Sesshoumaru could hear her, anyway.

The ex-messenger winced. Well, that's one way to break it to them.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Father! Is it true? Mother is mated with . . . with . . . the _messenger_?" the young prince almost screamed, hurtling past the age-old wooden doors with wide eyes and hackles raised.

"Prince Sesshoumaru," Kyoei reprimanded sharply, "you will keep your voice lowered in the presence of your seniors."

Obediently, he straightened his stance and softened his tone. "Father . . . ?"

The reigning Lord of the West nodded an affirmative. "Yes. The Lady Kyoei and Lord Daisuke—"

"_Lord_ Daisuke?!"

"—have been happily mated for four years now," he continued, glaring at his son, "and they are expecting a pup."

"But . . . how . . . ?" Sesshoumaru promptly fell on his tail, only wincing a little at the sudden impact.

Kyoei spoke up impassively. "We decided to keep it from you so that you could have your childhood knowing that your mother and father were yours and yours only, but you're old enough to know of my relations. Besides, in a few days, everyone with half a nose will be able to smell the pup."

"Personally, I don't see how it's any of your business," Shiro added.

"His mother mated a Copper Inu, how can it _not_ be his business?" Chiharu blurted indignantly.

All heads turned to her, and she turned a brilliant red but held her ground. She had grown quite a bit in the past seven years; now a lovely young woman at eighteen, she was a permanent friend to the silver Inu clan and had earned a spot on the council as a Human Emissary.

Kyoei smirked in approval.

"I mean . . . " Chiharu swallowed and gathered her composure, beginning again in a calmer tone, "I mean, the past four years have pretty much been a lie to 'Maru—"

Sesshoumaru hastily broke in, "She meant to say 'the magnificent and powerful young Prince'—"

"—and all he has left is a mother whose time is consumed by her new family—congratulations on that, by the way—and a father who spends most of his time in the throne room now that his son's of age to spar with masters. I can't imagine Lady Kagome being very pleased with how things are here!"

There was silence in the court, save for Chiharu's heavy breathing from the burst of adrenaline. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she had just done.

Shiro turned towards the newly-pregnant Kyoei and asked in amusement, "Just how much have you told the Human Emissary?"

The soon-to-be mother of two turned her nose at him, as if to say, "_What does it matter to you?_" Instead, she chose to voice, "Lady Chiharu and myself shared a great number of details earlier over the most delightful pot of tea that she made."

Sesshoumaru twitched. "Yes, that's excellent, Mother, but Chiharu has just offended my father . . ."

Shiro coughed a little. "Oh, that. Right," he began, then thought a bit about how to answer her accusation appropriately. "Lady Chiharu, in insulting the Lord of the West and declaring that I wrongfully neglect my son, you are—" he inhaled slowly, "—entirely correct."

Everyone gaped a little (a lot) at that one.

"I haven't been a very good father, and as of late, my melancholy of losing my soulmate has grown . . . heavier on my heart. I fear that our bond is weakening. But I have responsibilities to my family, and I will no longer put my own selfish aches first." Then he turned and strode purposefully down the steps from his throne. He stopped at Sesshoumaru, then knelt at his feet. "My son . . . how can I earn your forgiveness?"

The little prince (he was still rather small for his age, though he'd never admit to it) was astounded. He had his father's full and undivided attention, and for once, he wasn't sure of what to say. "Just don't do it again," he managed gruffly, blushing and glancing around shiftily.

Shiro smiled and gathered his heir in his arms for a hug.

Kyoei smirked. It seemed that Kagome's kindness still reached out to this time.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"I wanna call us the Energy Alliance!"

"Oh, Shippou, perhaps you should sit this one—"

"'Zentai Council' is far superior to—"

"I vote 'Inu Club'—!"

"Nobody asked you, Dogface. I like Sesshoumaru's idea."

"Hey!"

"Thank you."

"No problem, Uncle Sesshou—"

"GUYS!"

Everybody stopped to stare at Kagome as her face practically steamed. "We gathered here to discuss _Misaki_, _not_ the new name of our group."

They quieted. Somebody coughed.

She continued, "And for the record, our name is 'The Zentai Council' because it sounds the best and no, I do _not_ want to hear anything about it from _any_ of you," Kagome's slightly-reddened eyes glared at Inuyasha, who cowered appropriately. Sesshoumaru sat smugly. "Now that _that's_ over with, we need to talk about what to do about Misaki's energy problem."

"What's the problem? She's _literally_ bursting with power," the eldest hanyou blurted indignantly.

Kikyou pulled him back to his seat and spoke softly, "She's just a child; do you think she knows how to expend all of that energy?"

They all nodded in agreement as Inuyasha retreated thoughtfully.

This time, Misaki interjected. "Excuse _you_ all, but I happen to be a genius and I know _exactly_ how to 'expend all of that energy.' I don't need you to baby-sit me, and I sure as hell do _not_ need anybody worrying about me. You'd just get in my way."

And she stomped her way outside, waving her clawed fists and muttering angrily under her breath.

There was an awkward pause. "I should go get her," Kagome said in farewell and hurried to follow her daughter.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Misaki was floating on a zentai cloud above the river, following the current as it slithered on beneath her. Now that she had unlimited stores of energy, she could fly with unparalleled ease. The darkness made her energy cast an angelic glow upon her delicate, finely-proportioned features, and her large sapphire eyes gleamed with sorrow and wisdom that she should not have possessed at such a young age. Her thin arms were wrapped around her knees, and she stared down at her feet, pondering. The half moon above her threw its rays down in a soft silver luminescence identical to the more brilliant cloud that she rested on.

That was where Kagome found her. Forming a pink cloud of reiki to catch up to the child on, she stopped next to her and waited for Misaki to speak.

"I'm tired of people being afraid of me, and I'm tired of people not believing in me," she whispered sadly, still gazing at the ivory claws on her feet.

"You've always been a . . . unique child," Kagome began after several minutes of thinking about what to say, "Your intellect and . . . well, _everything_ have always been far more advanced than anything I've ever seen. Some will fear you for it, and others will care too much about you to truly believe that you are capable of the things you do. But I believe in you, and I'm not afraid, because I'm your mother and you're all I have left, Brat."

For some time, the only sound that could be heard was the gentle trickle of the water below them.

"Mama . . . do you wish that the well still worked?"

Her expression contorted painfully before she bowed her head and let her thick black bangs shield her eyes. "Yes. I miss my Mama and brother and grandfather dearly, Misaki."

"You know that wasn't who I was talking about."

A small whimper came from the older woman, and tears fell to the river as her shoulders shook. "Yes," she choked out. "I miss your father. Very much so. Every day, it feels like half of me is still over there, and the edges are still jagged and fresh where it was torn from my soul. I can't even think about him, or I just fall apart, and that's no good. For anybody."

Misaki dispelled her own cloud and crawled onto her mother's, wrapping her thin arms around her mother's astonishingly small frame. Already, the child was only a foot or so beneath Kagome's chin. They sat like that for a while. Eventually, Kagome packed her weakness back in and summoned all of the strength for which she was known.

She bared her teeth fiercely at her daughter. "Let's go hunt something. It's been a while."

"Yes, Mama."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Their eyes glowed in the dark, and their movements were quiet and fluid. They followed their prey, a large bear, into the night. Finally, Kagome mouthed, "_No energy,_" and the hunt was on.

Misaki leapt for its throat in a blur of motion, claws outstretched and fangs bared. She landed on its ruff, piercing its skin and shaking her head back and forth in an animalistic motion designed to snap its neck.

It roared mightily and reared up on its hind legs, pawing wildly at the little girl and stumbling about. It tripped on a root and fell to the ground, rolling over onto its back.

Kagome pinned its limbs down so it wouldn't crush her daughter and waited until the struggle leeched out of its eyes. Its muscles relaxed finally and Misaki pulled herself off of it. Her face and arms were smeared with blood, and both of them had identically feral grins on their faces.

"Nice job, Monster."

"You weren't too bad yourself, Mama."

Kagome smirked before sauntering over to its lolling head and kicking it lightly. "We gonna eat this thing, or what?" she inquired arrogantly.

In response, Misaki sliced open its torso. "You can have first pick."

They dug into its still-warm organs together, messily devouring all of it as their eyes bled red and their more primal instincts took over.

Finished with the carcass, Kagome kicked it into the surrounding trees and flew her sleepy daughter back to the river, where they rinsed themselves clean of gore. On the way back to the village, Kagome remarked happily, "I'm glad we did this. It's been too long since we had a proper hunt."

Misaki nodded blearily in reply, snuggling further into her mother's robes.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

It had been several centuries since Chiharu's time on the court. The title of Human Emissary passed down the line, from her first-born son to his eldest daughter and so on. The fifth-generation Emissary was a lovely young woman by the name of Izayoi; by now, her family had built up a close bond with Shiro's house. Izayoi in particular was good friends with the reigning Western Lord.

"So this Kagome was your Soulmate? And she was ripped from you by a spell several centuries ago?" There was a pause as he affirmed the statement nonverbally. "I am so sorry, Lord Shiro," Izayoi sympathized, gazing mournfully at him over the table. She reached out and moved a piece, before asking, "How have you managed so long?"

Shiro peered thoughtfully at the board, moving a piece, then answered, "I don't really have a choice. I miss her more than anything, but I have a kingdom and a son to watch over. I am not allowed to be weak."

They each made a few more moves, before he spoke up again. "What about you, Lady Izayoi? Do you have anyone special in your life?"

She shook her head. "No, the men in my village are either married or too immature to attract a wife, and I must take care of my mother, the previous Emissary. My father certainly won't."

His brow furrowed. "Why does your father have such an apathy towards his family?"

"Ever since my younger brother died of the fever, well, he's just been so grief-stricken that he can't do much of anything," Izayoi sighed. "He just stays in his room all day and weeps."

"And you do not?"

"My little brother was a cruel and thoughtless person who killed animals because he liked to hear them scream and mistreated women. I do not regret his passing one bit."

She cleared her throat and smiled wryly before noting that Shiro had beat her soundly. "It appears that you have won this match, Lord Shiro."

"Shall we play again?" he smirked. "Perhaps fortune will smile upon you next time."

She smiled. "Perhaps."

_And perhaps some were born to be unfortunate._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sooorry, guys. So sorry.**

**On another note . . . **

**GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUESS WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT I GOT ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU MANY MUCH MOOSEN PLEASE REVIEW SOME MORE I WILL WRITE THE ENDING IS IN SIGHT.**

**Also, I beta myself so there might be a couple errors . . . sorry 'bout that . . .**

**My family will be out tomorrow, so I will write (and play Diablo and watch Black Butler because dear Goshness, Sebastian is smex) and hopefully post the next chapter.**

**My next story, I will write it all before setting up a schedule to post weekly, because my current system sucks indigenous plant life.**

**I love you and please review so I don't get depressed and commit suicide because I'm a teen and no one likes my work,**

**~Kamibi**

**EDIT:**

**Yep. Fixed that plot hole nice and good. Hopefully nobody hate-mails me . . . D:**

**Reviews, please! Ai needs dem. So much.**

**~Kamibi**


	19. Chapter Nineteen

"Why do you still call me 'Dogface,' huh? Do I look like a dog to you?" Inuyasha snarled, getting in her face. His fangs were bared, expression twisted into a scowl and a low growl bubbling from his throat. His hackles were raised and his ears twitched agitatedly, blood flooding into his cheeks and reddening his countenance.

"Yes. Very much so," Misaki replied nonchalantly, removing herself from his vicinity and waving a hand in front of her nose as if to say, "_And you smell like one, too_." Which she did articulate a moment later, looking rather disdainful.

Her half-brother deflated in disappointment, and sulked off to lick his wounds in private.

"Inuyasha, come back! We're celebrating Misaki's birthday, which means that she's allowed to be a brat today—and you're not," Kagome called after him, muffling a laugh.

"I wish more people could have come. Dogface isn't very entertaining," Misaki commented sadly.

"I'm sorry, Honey, but Miroku, Sango, and Shippou are off fulfilling a demon extermination request, Kikyou was called to a temple, and Lord Sesshoumaru had some duties to fulfill in the Western Lands," Kagome recited casually, rummaging through their supplies to make sure that they had everything. Satisfied, she straightened and declared, "We're ready! Let's go, Dogface and," Kagome made a face, "_Commander _Misaki_._"

Misaki smirked. Only on her birthday would her mother call her 'Commander.' She didn't really like that name, she just liked having her mother bow down to her.

"Yes, I believe we shall, Peasant."

"Ha! Peasant! That's worse than 'Dogface'!"

"At least she doesn't _only_ call me that."

"I won't be Dogface forever!"

"It has been for the past six years, it's clear that you're not getting rid of it."

"We'll see about that . . ."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Lord Shiro!"

Sesshoumaru's ears perked up. That was a cry of desperation if he'd ever heard one. He called the spar to an end and dismissed the soldier, sniffing out the owner of that voice and following her to his father's study. He stood outside the door and listened to the conversation.

"Lady Izayoi, what is it?"

The young prince scented tears and sweat, meaning that she was distressed and had rushed to the palace. He heard the sound of cloth on furniture; she must've collapsed onto a chair.

"My father—he's gone mad—" she choked out in between sobs and gasps.

"Calm down, Izayoi, you don't have to speak now. Just breathe in, breathe out . . ."

After several minutes, during which Sesshoumaru had a strange urge to burst in and wipe her tears away (he wouldn't do that for his own _mother_, why did the human compel him so?), she had stopped crying and was able to speak clearly.

"My father has declared that unless I find a husband and produce an heir in ten months, he will stop providing medicine for my mother. She'll die!" she said, distraught and despairing.

"Why would he do that?" Shiro asked, confused.

"He says that he won't support 'us freeloaders' any longer; he wants us out. I must wed a man and bear his child to seal the deal in ten months. If I don't, he'll disown us both and we won't have anywhere to go, and we won't inherit any of his fortune. If I do, he'll make us leave his house, but he won't disown us."

"Izayoi. . . ."

"I don't have a choice; I can't let my mother die, she's my mother. I must marry," she said, still mournful but determined.

Sesshoumaru's heart thumped wildly in his breast. Lately, he'd been enamored with the beautiful Izayoi. He loved watching her smile and laugh, and her voice delighted his ears like nothing else. Her scent was intoxicating, and he yearned to be closer to her. Unfortunately, he'd yet to have much experience with the female species—least of all humans—and he didn't know what to do about these feelings.

But what if she married _him_?

He'd grown quite a lot in the past three centuries; now a handsome young demon eighteen years of age in human terms, it was acceptable for him to find a bride.

"Sesshoumaru? What are you doing?"

Startled, the prince turned and faced his half-brother, Toshiaki.

Born when Sesshoumaru was ten, Toshiaki was very close in age to Sesshoumaru and just as bright. However, he lacked the raw martial skill that the elder possessed; instead, he was a talented artist, in all forms. He attracted many a demoness with his poems, paintings, and songs. His long ponytail and shaggy brown bangs framed a pretty face with large brown eyes, full lips, and one jagged red stripe on one of his high cheek bones. His form was lean and tall, just a little bit shorter than Sesshoumaru.

He was Sesshoumaru's closest—and most _annoying—_friend.

"You were listening in on Lord Shiro's and Izayoi's conversation, again, weren't you?" he accused playfully. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he grabbed his brother and rushed outside to the courtyard, where it was safe.

"Are you mad?" he hissed, eyes darting from side to side before settling on Toshiaki's startled eyes. "Father could have heard you!"

The younger demon laughed. "Why don't you just tell her how you feel? It's a tad creepy to watch you watching her all the time."

Sesshoumaru sighed, sitting down on a bench. Toshiaki joined him. "It's not that simple. How do I explain that I've—"

"—been in_ madly_ in love with—"

"—had an i_nterest_ in her since she joined my father's council three years ago?" Sesshoumaru continued, peeved. Finally, he sighed, covering his face with his hands and muttering, " . . . How do I know she'd want me?"

"'Maru, you sound utterly pitiful," his half-brother told him candidly. "Why wouldn't she want you? You're strong, you're smart, you're prettier than anyone I've ever met—"

Sesshoumaru growled at 'prettier.'

"—so what's the problem? Any woman would be overjoyed to have you! Have you even talked to her once?"

"I can't seem to find the words to say . . ." he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Just talk! Just talk," Toshiaki exclaimed enthusiastically, "Get to know her—get her to know _you_. It's positively heart-wrenching to see you mooning after her every time she comes to the castle."

Sesshoumaru ignored the last part and stood up. "Thank you, Little Brother. As painful as it is to endure your stupidity for any amount of time—"

"_Hey!_"

"—I do appreciate the advice and will formulate a plan accordingly."

And then he sauntered off into the depths of the palace, presumably to 'formulate a plan'.

Toshiaki stared after him for a moment, before smiling widely. "Well, I'll be damned; after all those years of refusing feminine contact, the bastard turns out to be straight."

He whistled merrily off on one of the many paths, wandering around wherever his feet carried him.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Shiro, please, I don't know who else to ask. You're my closest friend," Izayoi begged.

"I can't, I love Kagome—"

"I'm not asking you to mate me, for goodness' sake! I just need you to marry me and give me a son."

"I can't!"

"Please, Shiro! I need you!"

Shiro stared at her desperately, his expression one of despair and confusion. "Just . . . give me some time, alright?"

She nodded. "I can understand; I am asking a lot. I will wait for your reply."

And then she was gone.

He sank into his chair, placing his face in his hands and wondering what to do.

Suddenly, he rose and exited to talk to his father.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Father! I need your help!" he called. A large movement followed, and a huge red eye blinked open.

"_What is it?"_

"Is there any way for me to contact my mate?" Shiro asked.

"_There is._"

Somehow, he had not been expecting that answer. "What?"

"_By meditation, you may enter the realm of the Kami and follow the energy there to your mate. You should be able to find her channel easily; after all, it is your channel as well._"

"Why didn't you tell me before?" he cried in exasperation.

"_You were not ready; you would've died._"

Shiro groaned in frustration and left to find a secluded spot.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

After some time spent in meditation (he didn't know how long), he found himself wandering around his own energy pathways. He followed them back to the source in his core, then traced it back to the tiny opening to the Kami world. He squeezed his way through painfully, but he eventually made it.

Through the hole was a strange place. He saw only bright flares of white light that shone out of the ground, which was cloudy. In fact, everything was cloudy; he could barely see. There were hundreds of lights everywhere, and they all led into the ground.

Floating around, he spotted a white object in the distance. A split second afterwards, he found himself next to it.

_Hikarikiyoi?_ he thought, relieved. The familiar bow rested above an orb of energy.

_**Hello, Shiro. It has been too long**_, she replied.

_Why are you here?_

_**Kagome does not require me often anymore; there is little danger in her world**_**.**

A wave of relief crashed over him, and he breathed, _That pleases me._ Then he saw something strange; only an inch or so away from Kagome's orb, there was a larger orb that hovered over a hole the size of his head.

_What is _that? he asked, amazed. The other openings that he'd seen had only been as wide around as a thread.

_**It is not my place to say.**_ Hikarikiyoi replied cryptically. _**You should hurry; it does not do well to linger in this realm.**_

He nodded. _Thank you for your help_.

And then he went through Kagome's pinhole of energy.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Mama, that was _amazing_. I'm so full," Misaki sighed contentedly, rubbing her stomach and lying down on the grass. Next to her was her half-brother in a similar state of being.

"Yeah, Kagome, I haven't had food that delicious in a while."

"Thank you, Misaki; Inuyasha, whaddaya want?" she asked suspiciously.

"Can I have the rest of your meat?" he begged eagerly, not missing a beat.

Kagome sighed dramatically and offered her plate, hiding a smile.

"I'm glad you liked it," she said and flopped down next to them.

"Happy birthday, Misaki."

"It's _Commander_ Misaki."

"I no longer care."

Misaki huffed and crossed her arms, then yelped as she was swung upward and off the ground.

Kagome grinned. "Aw, come on, Pipsqueak, don't be like that. You're finally six, aren't you excited?"

The young girl rolled her eyes.

Abruptly, Kagome fell onto the hill, taking Misaki down with her. "Hey, Inuyasha, wanna help me tickle the brat?"

He was there in an instant, poking her in the side. Misaki jerked and laughed until tears came out, then ceded.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

He saw Kagome on top of the hill at sunset. Her jet black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, now, but her bangs still got in her eyes. He missed those eyes, how they swirled and sparkled with anger or affection (_or both_, he allowed himself to remember, staring at her now). She still wore the priestess uniform he'd got her, but now it seemed more worn, softer; less new. She was laughing and swinging a silver-haired child around in the air.

The girl wrapped her arms around both Kagome and another inu in obvious fondness, and Shiro watched with horrified eyes as he saw the small hanyou call his soulmate 'Mama' and hug a man that had the same ears as her.

It felt like the child on the hilltop reached inside his chest with her tiny fist and squeezed the life out of his heart.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_Kagome child inu pain confusion Kagome soul mate betrayal WHYWHYWHYWHY_

The daiyoukai's spirit raced by, and Hikarikiyoi only caught a small impression of what he felt.

_**Shiro, what's wrong? What did you see?**_ she called after him, alarmed.

But he was gone.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

When Shiro came to, the sun was rising on the next morning and tears were streaming down his face. He felt lost and alone, and all the sorrow he'd repressed since Kagome had left escaped the walls he'd so carefully constructed around it. In his grief and anguish, he barely noticed how low his reserves of energy were. The fatigue barely touched him.

Then all of it was gone, and he just felt empty. His Soulmate had betrayed him; all that was left to do was forget about her. With hollow eyes, he made his way back to the palace, where Izayoi was awaiting his decision.

He was always willing to help a friend in need.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"You're pregnant," Shiro informed her the next morning.

"Thank you so much, Shiro," Izayoi whispered. "You've saved my mother."

He rolled over and closed his eyes as she left.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"FATHER!" his son roared, banging on the reinforced door to his room. Startled, Shiro jumped and fell off of the bed. He hurried to the door, stubbing his toe and bruising his face in the process of reaching it.

Upon opening the accursed piece of wood, Sesshoumaru rushed inside and immediately began to scream at him.

"I can't _believe_ you, Father! There's no way you didn't know of my feelings for Izayoi, and you still bedded her!"

Oh, right, Sesshoumaru had eyes for Izayoi. Oops. His son's face was really red.

"I was just planning to begin to court her, and then you had your way with her! Do you know how long it took for me to gather up the courage to approach her? Of course you do, _you were there_."

He seemed really angry. Tears of rage were starting to seep from his eyes.

"Can you imagine how you would feel if I slept with Kagome? Can you? Because _that's what this feels like_."

"It wouldn't matter, she's already cheated on me," he muttered spitefully, still a little disoriented from his sudden awakening.

Sesshoumaru's mouth closed, astonished. "What?"

"She had a daughter with another inu."

"Oh."

He inhaled and exhaled very slowly, then led his father back to his bed, where he sat him down and then faced him.

Breathing deeply, the crimson-striped male said, "No, she didn't."

"I saw it," he stubbornly retorted.

"Father, when Lady Kagome left, she was pregnant with your child."

Shiro's face showed only complete shock.

"If there's anything I know from the stories people sometimes tell about her, it's that she was kind and loyal. Does she seem like the type to willingly betray you?"

After thinking about it for a while, Shiro shook his head.

**_I thought it was my job to be the emotional_**_ **idiot**_, his Inner Youkai spoke dryly.

A smile began to spread across his face. "I have a daughter."

"Yes."

"I have . . . a _daughter_," his expression was lit with wonder. Now that he thought about it, he realized that the girl he saw could only have been his. His Inner smacked himself in the face. "And her name was Misaki."

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened. It was the name of his beloved grandmother. "How fitting." Then he stood up. "I will forgive you for your indecorous behavior, as I deem it justified in the face of what you thought had occurred. I only ask that you do not do it again, and allow me to woo Lady Izayoi in the time before she delivers the child."

And just like that, Shiro's life was put back together.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Alrighty, Guys, it's past midnight and I woke up at five AM. I love you. So hard. Especially my 100****th**** and 101****st**** reviewer, OyaYansa9. They left the most beautiful 100****th**** review I could possibly have gotten and made me cry tears of joy.**

**Anyway, just to clear some things:**

**Right now, Misaki is six and Sesshoumaru is at least 315. Time is passing differently between the Feudal Era and Shiro's Era.**

**It is super difficult to write an Inu no Taisho/Kagome fic where Inuyasha exists. I apologize for the clumsy solution.**

**I realize that Shiro is not getting very much screen time. I'm working on changing that.**

**This story will probably be over in ten chapters.**

**Please review. And don't be afraid to tell me that I fudged a few things! I know I did, I just can't find the mistakes. Few reviews mean that I feel that I'm bad at writing, and then I have no inspiration, so I don't write, so I get less reviews.**

**Which sucks.**

**Thank you, my lovely followers, and until next time,**

**~Kamibi**


	20. Chapter Twenty

Her bare, clawed foot swiped out and kicked a pebble on the path, sending it flying. She stared thoughtfully at the sunrise and continued to walk toward the village.

Tonight was the night she turned human, when the moon was ancient in the sky and only a sliver of light remained.

She still couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Lady Izayoi! Wait!" Sesshoumaru shouted, waving his hand at her and jogging a bit to catch up. Long silver hair that reached to the small of his back shimmered in the daylight and his smooth, graceful stride affixed Izayoi's distracted eyes to his form. He could've reached her in less than a second, but he had a feeling that she'd be more comfortable if he pretended to run at a normal human's pace (and he wanted to show off a bit).

"Yes, Prince Sesshoumaru?" she asked curiously. He didn't usually talk to her, but she'd always had a bit of interest in the lofty, handsome youkai.

He knelt to the ground before her (probably to hide his beet-red face), and spoke deeply, "Lady Izayoi, Human Emissary to my father's court, I offer thee my heart, my mind, and my body for all of eternity."

Then he rose, grinned, took her flabbergasted hand and said, "Now that I've got tradition out of the way, would you please spend the day with me?"

Her mouth opened and closed several times as she struggled to form an answer, and Sesshoumaru's elated grin softened. He brought her hand up to his mouth and murmured, "It may be a bit sudden, but I cannot repress my feelings for you any longer."

Eventually, she got out, "Why me?"

Leading her off the palace grounds, he told her charmingly, "Let's find that out together, shall we?"

Finally, she offered a shy smile. _Why not? _"Let's."

And off they went.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Now, Honey, don't be frightened. I won't let anybody hurt you," Kagome said, hugging her black-haired, fang-less daughter violently. "Especially not when you look so much like me!"

"Mamaaa, why do you always get so snuggly when I lose my powers?" Misaki whined, struggling to free herself from the crushing grip.

"Because you can't throw me off like normal."

Misaki huffed and surrendered. "Honestly; why would I be frightened? It's not like anyone would dare to enter this—"

"It's the demon child's hut! Burn it down!"

Their eyes widened as the scent of smoke filled the air.

In the blink of an eye, Kagome had gathered her daughter up in her arms and sprinted outside, where the mob was waiting with sharpened tools and torches.

The inumiko growled ferally and swiped at the incoming attackers with one hand. But with Misaki in the other, she couldn't hope to annihilate the entire town and get her daughter through it unharmed. Snarling, she formed a cloud of reiki and rose above their weapons.

"That's right, demon whore, get outta here!"

"We didn't want you in the first place!"

"Don't ever come back!"

They screamed at her, each declaration like a weight added to her heart, and she carried her stone-eyed daughter to safety.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"What the hell is _wrong_ with those people?" Misaki stormed angrily, pacing around the clearing. "Don't they remember all the times you've saved them from invading youkai? And how did they find out about my night of weakness, anyway?" Her little face was twisted in anger and hurt, her long black hair following her around as she stomped.

"Misaki—"

"I HATE THIS!" she screamed, punching a tree and snapping it in half. Startled, she spun back, tripping on nothing and landing on her rear end. "What . . .?"

Kagome walked over and picked her up, smoothing out her hair. "It would appear that instead of turning human every month, you are simply restricted from your zentai."

"Why didn't we know that before? Why didn't _I_ know that before? I could've helped us!" she cried for the first time, tears souring the air. "I could've helped you . . . I'm the reason you lost your home," she mumbled mournfully. "I'm so sorry, Mama."

Bigger hands caught beneath her armpits and lifted her up to face a stern, beautiful face. "Don't _ever_ blame yourself for what happens to us. I should've been able to protect you against those people; did _you_ tell them about your night? No? Then it wasn't your fault. Come on, let's go see if we can mooch off Sesshoumaru until you're stronger," she smiled, picking Misaki up and swinging her onto her back. Forming another cloud of energy, she took off and flew through the night as her daughter slept.

A frown grew on her face as she thought, _I smelled Shippou on the head mobster. He's supposed to be on the other side of Japan; why wouldn't he tell me that he's back?_

But some things were best left behind in the ashes.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Lately, Shiro had taken to muttering to himself. It probably wasn't healthy, but he found himself to be a rather intellectual companion and he was not inclined to stop.

"It would seem that I am alone once more," he mused, "Kyoei and Daisuke rarely speak to me nowadays, and Hisoka retired fifty years ago due to a sudden influx of pups. Izayoi belongs to Sesshoumaru, now, which leaves me with no one to speak with."

A bitter smile stretched upon his face as the moonlight wavered in his office. "I miss Kagome so dearly; why did she have to leave?"

But he knew the answer. "I wish I could see my daughter again . . ." He'd tried many times since then, but the path to the Kami realm seemed blocked to him, now. Energy continued to flow through him, but he was not permitted to travel with it.

He wept softly for a few minutes, before wiping his eyes and deciding, "And I shall. I will wait however long it takes until this time's reality and her time's meet and become one."

Then he went to bed, because there was no reason to fight his exhaustion any longer. "No matter how long that is. . . ."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

He walked her back to her father's house, respectfully keeping his paws to himself and not staring at her too much.

"I must admit, I'd always thought you were rather distant," she laughed, taking up his clawed hand, much to his pleasure. "You never talked or smiled, and you were always off killing something."

He grinned sheepishly. "I was shy around you, and I thought that my hunting prowess would impress you," he admitted.

"Oh, Sesshoumaru, I wish you'd have talked to me sooner," she expressed sincerely. Then her hand fell out of his grasp, and the smile faded from her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, nervously, stopping to stand in front of her and worriedly search her eyes.

Izayoi looked away. "Thank you for this day; it was the most enjoyable time I've had in a while. You're an amazing person, and that's why I can't do this to you," she cried out, running around him and darting towards her home. He almost laughed at her; had she forgotten that he could run ten times as quickly as she?

He caught her in an instant, gathering her up in his arms and squeezing lightly. His nose nuzzled against her neck, and he whispered, "I know what you did with my father, and I know that it is his son growing in your womb." She gasped sharply and began to apologize fervently. He interrupted her gently, "But I don't care; I will raise my half-brother as if he were my son and I will love you unconditionally. If you will have me," he added hastily.

Tears leaked from her gaze at his honest, heartfelt confession, and she threw her arms around his neck. "But why me?" she breathed. "What did I do to deserve you? I haven't spoken with you before today."

Sesshoumaru smiled, relieved that she wasn't running from him, and said a bit hesitantly, "I wasn't going to tell you, but after today, I have good reason to believe that you are my Soulmate."

She detached herself from him and gazed at his regal face in wonder, searching for signs of trickery or deceit. Finding none, she exhaled, "Oh." An expression of happiness and relief bloomed across her countenance. "_Oh_."

And she grabbed his hand again and veered off the main road.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Lady Kagome and Lady Misaki of the Silver Inu clan," Sesshoumaru addressed them, "what is your business at my home?"

Kagome stepped forward. "We were recently attacked by humans in the village we resided in; they burned down our home and chased us from the place. We seek shelter until my daughter, Misaki, is strong enough to protect herself against such threats." Nervous sweat dripped from her hairline and along the side of her face as the many council members stared at her. None of them looked familiar in the slightest. She didn't glance at them, though; she stared straight into the reigning Western Lord's eyes as he appraised them.

"Your request shall be granted," he declared. "You may follow me to your quarters; I believe they will please you."

He stepped off of his throne and gracefully walked over to them.

Misaki asked curiously, "Why is he leading us and not a servant?"

Kagome nudged her and mouthed, "_Be quiet. Tell you later_."

The little hanyou nodded her silver head (she'd been so very grateful for sunrise earlier) and followed her older half-brother.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Upon reaching their designated room, Sesshoumaru closed the door and let his shoulders finally relax just a bit. "This room is sound and scent-proof. Nobody on the outside will have any idea of what is going on inside."

Misaki squealed and launched onto the bed, hugging the fluffy bedding tightly. Kagome slowly gazed around the room, which hadn't changed a bit since she was last in it with her Soulmate. "Oh, Sesshoumaru," she inhaled sharply, "thank you."

He waved his hand in dismissal. "I have been waiting for you two to come to me. I have some questions that you may be able to answer."

Kagome stifled a giggle and kept a straight face. Sesshoumaru was always so curious; she found it adorable, but she would never tell him so. "Fire away."

He frowned at the odd phrase, but began anyway, "Why do I have no memory of my father speaking about you? I am certain that, had he actually lost you, he would go on and on about it."

Kagome's face darkened. "Are you suggesting that I lied about it?"

Casually, he said, "No, of course not. I would recognize my father's scent anywhere, and it is definitely in Misaki's blood. But how could you have been there in your reality, yet not exist in mine?"

Misaki piped up, her voice muffled from the sheets, "Maybe it's because in going back, Mama created a _new_ reality. There's the original one that you all come from, and then there's the new one that she built. Maybe there's a point where they meet and the new reality and original ones merge."

There was silence in the room as both adults blinked at Misaki, who lay with her limbs thrown out face-down on the bed. Presently, she lifted her head, "What?"

Her mother sighed. "Sometimes I forget that you're a baby genius, but you never fail to remind me." Misaki cheesed widely in response.

Sesshoumaru said, "That would explain much of my confusion, and it does make sense, logically. But at what point would they intersect?"

"It would have to be the event that makes one of them false and the other true," Misaki mused.

"Then it would be the battle between Shiro and Ryuukotsusei?" Kagome tried. Both heads swiveled towards her, and she back up, putting her hands in front of her defensively. "Hey, I was just trying to contribute; I don't really understand all of this temporal mumbo-jumbo you guys are—"

"That's it! Mama, you're brilliant!" Misaki crooned, punching the air in triumph.

"So when my father fights the dragon bone spirit, both worlds will become one," Sesshoumaru concluded.

"That would only make sense," Misaki nodded. Indifferently, she said, "Our father will die."

Kagome's face paled as she realized that yes, her Soulmate would face Ryuukotsusei, and yes, he would not survive. And no, she could not do anything whatsoever to prevent that.

She was suddenly very dizzy, and the rush of blood pounding in her ears drowned out everything else. Multi-colored dots began to flood her vision, and soon, she couldn't see anything. Then she felt the loss of gravity and she fell to the floor in a faint.

_**Hello, Kagome. We need to talk.**_

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

It had been several weeks since Sesshoumaru first swept Izayoi off of her feet. Out of respect for his son, Shiro kept his distance from her and threw himself into managing his realm. Since her child would not be entirely human, the title of Human Emissary passed to her cousin, who was happily enjoying all of the luxuries of the Inu Palace.

By now, Izayoi appeared to be four months pregnant and she and the prince had agreed to marry the next month. Her father was appeased with how she was coming along ("I knew you'd be able to seduce a man, your mother was good at that, too.") and her attractive husband ("Look at how finely he's dressed! He must be rich!"); as soon as she gave birth, plans were made to move into the palace with her mother.

Still, nobody knew that the child inside of Sesshoumaru's bride-to-be was Shiro's, and they intended to keep it that way. Sesshoumaru certainly didn't see his future heir as his father's; it didn't really matter to him who was responsible for the infant getting there, he just wanted to raise it. He'd always placed more value in the mental aspects of things than the physical, and as far as he was concerned, Izayoi's son would be Sesshoumaru's son.

Shiro didn't have a problem with it. He was looking forward to a grandchild.

And Izayoi was just happy to be with Sesshoumaru.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_Hikarikiyoi? What happened? How did you take me here? And where _is_ here?_ Kagome asked, amazed by this realm. Thick fog billowed around everywhere, and seemingly-random balls of light twinkled for miles around.

_**We have much to discuss, and you have been blocking me out as of late**_, Hikarikiyoi told her, sounding a bit miffed.

That explained why she hadn't heard from her in a while. _I have? Well, it wasn't intentional_, she apologized.

_**No matter; it is of little consequence. We must talk**_, the elegant white bow said, _**about Shiro's future.**_

Right. The current path he was on would just not do. _How can I stop him from dying?_ She didn't want to waste any time.

_**You must project yourself into his reality as he did yours several days ago—**_

_Wait, what? Shiro was near me? Why didn't he speak to me?_

_**He saw you and Misaki with Inuyasha; he likely thought that she was his**_** child.** Kagome gasped in horror; God only knew how badly that must have hurt him._** He rushed back into his body soon afterwards, and his spirit seemed torn in agony. From what Shin told me, he bedded Izayoi in the time after he thought you had forsaken him and before Sesshoumaru told him the truth.**_

_You can speak with Shin? And Sesshoumaru knew? Hikarikiyoi, this is so_ confusing! Kagome paced, thoughts muddling together oddly in this realm._ . . . And did you say something about him bedding Izayoi?_

_**Only in times of great emotional stress can I contact Shin; our bond is much weakened, and we are not strong enough to communicate otherwise. Sesshoumaru found out from his grandfather, Lord Sato, and yes, he did sleep with Lady Izayoi.**_

_And it was because he thought I'd moved on without him . . . _Kagome felt very alone and very angry with Fate. _Oh, God, Hikarikiyoi, what have I done? What has he done? _She almost screamed aloud in frustration, but calmed herself back down enough to ask, fear weighing her tongue, _Does he love her?_

_**. . . No. She was being forced to marry and produce an heir by her father; the night between her and Shiro was a business transaction, nothing more.**_

A sudden sensation of relief soothed most of the pain in her chest and calmed her mind. She still wasn't happy about it, but she understood. Besides, without Inuyasha, Misaki would have grown up without any father figure at all, given how often Miroku and Sesshoumaru were away from the village. _I need to be with him again, before either of us can make any more mistakes. How can I save him?_

_**Find him in his reality by traveling with your spirit and kill Ryuukotsusei.**_

_That's it?_

_**It is not as easy as you may think. First, you must wander this realm, searching for his unique energy without getting lost or distracted by anything, or you will be lost forever. Then, you must muster enough will and energy to defeat the greatest enemy of all the lands when an entity normally only has enough power to linger in the alternate place as a specter. After doing all that, you must find your way back home.**_

_. . . So that's it?_

Hikarikiyoi smiled. _**Yes**__._

_Then I'll be going, now. I have some business to attend to,_ Kagome smirked. She wandered around confidently, thinking of how exactly she would accomplish that feat, before realizing something.

_Hikarikiyoi?_

_**Hm?**_

_. . . How do I get back to my body?_

Laughter was her answer. Stupid, worthless piece of—

Her eyes snapped open to utter darkness.

A wild grin worked its way onto her face, and the sleeping child next to her stirred.

_I can do this._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Guys, I'm not really sure what to say anymore. ._.**

**THANK YOU SO GOSHDARNED MUCH FOR READING MY STORIES. I LOVE YOU ALL, WHETHER YOU'VE REVIEWED OR YOU ARE BRAND-SPANKING-NEW TO BIRD.**

**Although, you know, I do love the reviewers a tiny bit more . . . _**

**Just kidding, Guys! You know I'm kidding . . . right . . . ?**

**I think I'm gonna write a Naruto fic that's been simmering in the back of my mind for a while. But I'll only start posting when I'm almost completely done with it.**

**Did you know that I've never finished a story before? Bird will be my first, oh, I'm so excited! u**

**See ya next time!**

**~Kamibi**


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

It was early the next morning, when the air was cool and grey with youth and the sun had barely finished rising to leave the sky a pale, washed-out blue. Distantly, there came the sounds of prey being hunted and gathering food for the coming cold. The trees that crowded each side of the worn dirt path were transformed into brilliant warm-color renditions of themselves, except for those few evergreens who stubbornly waited out every trial with impossibly-deep verdant hues. A blanket of fog shielded the horizon from her sad, blue-eyed gaze as she walked silently through a landscape that seemed as if it were made to be untouched.

Today, she had chosen to travel by foot; barefoot, to be precise. She'd run at incredible speeds from Sesshoumaru's—_Shiro's_—palace before reaching the edge of this forest.

Inuyasha's Forest.

Her thick black hair reached down to the small of her back lately, but she'd been tying it in a high ponytail for quite some time. The soft white of her upper garment contrasted elegantly with the brighter-than-sapphire blue of her billowy hakama. She walked with a quiet reluctance, treading softly and senses on high alert. Her limbs flowed with inhuman grace, because they belonged to an inhuman woman.

She was twenty-five, now, and she hadn't disrupted this tradition for ten years. She also hadn't aged a bit from when she was pulled from the Inu Palace, but that was not of import today.

Because today was her birthday, and every year, she went to the well.

She'd left several hours before sunrise, upon waking back up in her bed after Hikarikiyoi summoned her. Misaki had been undisturbed by her exit, and she was probably still asleep now.

Finally, the mist parted before her to reveal the end of the tree line. The village looked the same as ever, with sleepy inhabitants just leaving their homes to start the day's work. Nobody seemed to notice her.

Arriving at the ashes of Kaede's hut that had been hers and her daughter's after the previous owner's death, she stared at the blackened spot where it had once rested. No tears fell, because it would never do to show the humans (when did she stop being one of them?) weakness.

"Mama!" a tiny voice cried happily, launching itself at her instinctively open arms. Before the tiny fox kit could reach her, though, another form blurred through the air, snarling and batting him away. Misaki stood defensively before Kagome as Shippou glared at her hatefully.

"You bitch," he spat, wiping dirt from his clothes and face and stalking over to where the taller girl stood.

"Shippou!" the inumiko said in reprimand and shock. Nobody insulted her daughter like that, but it was the little kitsune she'd _raised_ . . . She didn't know what to do, and her feet were glued to the ground.

"Weakling," she replied calmly, looming over him. His large eyes showed the tiniest bit of fear before he sneered at her.

"Bastard child, that's what you are," he crooned gleefully. Kagome's mouth fell open.

She gazed at him disdainfully down her nose (_Did Sesshoumaru teach her how to do that?_), looking everything but surprised. "And you're utterly useless. You're over three times as old as me, but I'm more than ten times as strong as you. Do you even bother to train, or do you just rely on _my_ mother to protect your pitiful life?"

His little face reddened angrily, and he lashed out at Misaki.

Kagome moved to block the strike, but found that she'd been incased in a pure white barrier.

"_Daughter!_" she barked furiously, struggling against it, "_Release me!_"

The little punk growled back, "_No_."

Between Shippou and Misaki, Shippou didn't have a chance. His first, slow blow was easily avoided, and Misaki deftly maneuvered her way around his every attack.

When he could no longer assault her and he stood with his chest heaving, Misaki looked at him. "If you're done warming up, I'd like to actually fight, now."

He screamed in frustration and launched at her, claws-first. A mean light jumped into her large blue eyes, and she met his strike with a zentai-inforced punch. Kagome watched as Misaki's fist touched Shippou's, then as it drove backwards into his wrist as he continued to move forward. An expression of utter shock and agony transformed his face as he fell to the ground ten feet away from the force of Misaki's blow.

With a roar, she broke free of the weakened barrier and ran to Misaki first as the other child whimpered on the ground, curled around his shattered hand.

"Misaki, what the _hell_ was that about?" she whispered loudly—irately—into Misaki's ear. She cringed from the volume and flicked the fluffy tip away in irritation.

"Ow, Mama," she complained, and then pointed at the sobbing boy carelessly. "Go heal the brat, I know you want to. I'll explain soon after that." Sending her an angry look, Kagome did just that.

Cradling his tiny paw in her hand, she said to Shippou in a low, serious voice, "Shippou, I don't care who the hell you think you are, you do _not_ insult my baby like that. Are we clear?"

His face soured and he wrenched his hand away, grimacing at the sudden movement. "No. No, we're not 'clear'." Kagome's eyes widened and she went to stand by Misaki in case Shippou tried to attack her again. He followed that motion, and his demeanor worsened.

"Why do you take her side all the time?" he screamed, pointing at the six-year-old who stood before his mother. "I was your child first, Mama! Then _she_ came along, and suddenly, it's all about Misaki, Misaki, Misaki!"

Kagome stared at him in pity, and Misaki did not respond. She'd known for a while how the kitsune felt; his intense waves of envy weren't exactly difficult to smell. Mama had probably been ignoring it because she couldn't comprehend the depth of Shippou's character.

"Oh, Shippou," she whispered. This seemed to encourage him to continue.

"And it's not just you! Inuyasha stopped playing with me; guess who he went to next?" He laughed bitterly. "And that time in the water village, when Miroku and Sango took me and Misaki on a mission and you were stuck in battle, Mama? Do you remember? Do you remember what Miroku and Sango did? _They protected her first_. I was left to distract the youkai all around me until _poor_ Misaki was safe. Even _Rin_ plays with her more often," he finished sadly. "I've been replaced by Misaki for everyone . . ."

Misaki crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to say, "Get over it already, you big wussy." Before she could, though, Kagome had gathered him in her arms for a tight hug. Shippou's eyes were wide in wonder, and he was limp with surprise.

"Shippou, nobody replaced you. It's just that we all assumed you were grown up enough to be allowed some independence. None of us ever suspected that you felt that way, because you never said anything. How could we have known?" she spoke gently.

In the face of her love, the kit broke down and cried. "Mama, I'm so sorry, Mama, I did something terrible, I didn't mean to make you leave me—"

Kagome suddenly released him. Her features began to darken suspiciously. "Shippou . . . ?"

Misaki stared at them impassively, crossing her arms.

The little fox demon sniffled and looked up at her. "I'm the one who told the villagers about Misaki's human night," he admitted shamefully.

And then Shippou was flying.

"_HOW DARE YOU?!_" she screamed, voice harsher than usual, stalking over to where Shippou's crumpled form lay. People were starting to come out of their huts, but they stayed clear of the raging mother's aura. The kitsune looked up at her, terrified, and saw that her eyes were scarlet and that jagged blue markings had appeared on her face. When she opened her mouth to snarl at him, her fangs were longer than normal.

"_YOU ENDANGERED THE LIFE OF MY PUP BECAUSE YOU WERE __**JE****ALOUS**__?!_"

Shippou didn't even try to defend himself. Everybody knew not to piss off an Inu mother; it was his mistake for forgetting that that was exactly what Kagome was.

"_YOU ARE NO LONGER A PUP OF MINE!_"

While hurt, he couldn't say he was surprised.

"_Leave,_" she whispered, abruptly quiet. "_And stay out of my sight_."

And what hurt the most was how Kagome walked away from him without looking back once. The red aura around her faded, and he waited hopefully, praying that she would change her mind. But she just shook her head, picked her somber daughter up and flew away.

Shippou ran into the woods.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, this chapter is short because I went back through and edited every. Single. Chapter. And I didn't want to update all of them without posting a chapter as well**

**The next chapter is the second-last. And it is going to be a pain.**

**I will try to get it up sometime soon and**

**THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR WAITING. I AM A BUTTHOLE AND A TERRIBLE PERSON, BUT I PROMISED THAT I WOULD FINISH THIS BITCH AND I WILL FINISH THIS BITCH IF IT KILLS ME.**

**I LOVE EVERYONE WHO READS THIS!**

**~Kamibi**


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

A human shriek tore through the air.

"Push, Izayoi, you have to _push_ or this baby is going to die along with you, right here, right now!" the midwife told her, positioned between her sweaty knees. Her husband and Soulmate stood by her side, lending his quiet strength as she crushed the bones in his hand and screamed again.

The howl gurgled out into nothingness as her vision swam. "It hurts, oh, Kami, it _hurts_," she groaned mindlessly. Her dark locks had lost all of their usual shine, her face was pale from blood loss, and her eyes were dull. Sesshoumaru's grip tightened; no matter what, he was not going to let go.

"Izayoi!" the sharp voice barked hysterically, yanking her from her beautiful dream of her child, and oh, it was so dark and warm, she was just going to close her eyes for a bit—

"PUSH, DAMN YOU!"

Startled, she did exactly that, and the wailing infant finally slipped from her womb.

She felt excruciatingly sore and old and battered and just so _tired_, but in a moment of clarity, she realized that her son was here, in this world, crying and kicking and _she could see him_.

And any suffering was worth having that realization.

Sesshoumaru gently pulled his hand from hers, snipped the umbilical cord with his claw per tradition's demands, and followed the midwife to the next room as she cleaned and swaddled his son.

_I'll just take a little nap_, she thought to herself. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes, her beautiful partner was by her, murmuring "Here he is," and like she had been born to do it, she took their son from his arms, opening her already-loose robes to his face as he suckled hungrily.

He was the most adorable baby she had ever seen. In that moment, both parents shared a look of wonder.

A pair of downy white ears rested on his head, where a tuft of silver hair already grew. And when he opened his eyes for the first time, they were a bright amber.

Just like Sesshoumaru's eyes. Izayoi began to cry in relief and happiness and pure, unfiltered love for this tiny creature in her arms. "Hello, Inuyasha. I missed you very much. I didn't know that I missed you, but now that I have you, I know. And I'm never going to stop loving you, my son, my beautiful little son," she cooed, gazing at him, his tiny toes and fingers that already had claws, the toothless gums that would soon bear fangs, the strong limbs that would likely grow up fighting; she suddenly felt very aged as she imagined how he would look when he was grown.

"Father should see him, soon," her husband intoned. "He deserves that much." _It is technically his child, after all_ was unspoken between them.

Izayoi nodded blearily, smiling up at her Soulmate and dozing off as he took the sleeping Inuyasha from her breast so that he could hold his son for a while.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Mama, you didn't have to tell Shippou to leave like that," the hanyou's voice was quiet, reserved. When had Misaki gotten so old?

They were in the air, now, headed back to the Western Palace. It had been about half an hour since Kagome's instincts had taken over, and she was still taken aback by it. Shippou was her child, too, and he was just missing his mother's love, but then again, he threatened her precious baby, her darling that reminded her so much of Shiro, and she would never allow anyone to do that.

She felt like she should be confused, but she was more perplexed by why she wasn't.

"I know, Baby," her mother spoke softly, "but I can't let anybody endanger you, and what Shippou did was unforgivable. I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at him again."

Misaki nodded, accepting the answer. Inu were fiercely loyal and respected the rights of each other to punish any betrayal. That said, to claim that someone was a traitor was a very heavy accusation, and so there were rules in their blood that determined exactly what constituted disloyalty.

They flew silently for a while.

"Mama?" she said after some time.

"Yes?"

"Today's the day my father dies."

Kagome's control faltered, and for one terrifying moment, they were in free-fall, but then Misaki's gentle cloud of zentai stabilized them. "Why do you say that?" the elder whispered.

"I can feel it in the kami realm, where every moment happens at the same time. I guess it's because I'm unusually connected to it, but I know that today is the day that it all happens."

Kagome's thoughts were whirling. They ground to a halt when Misaki touched her hand. "You should go," she smiled knowingly. "I'll land us and protect you while you're gone. We shouldn't waste another minute; I would like to meet the man who sired me, after all."

There were a thousand reasons why doing that would be a bad idea, but there was one very important reason why it wasn't.

Shiro was her Soulmate.

And that was all there was to it.

Drawing her into a close embrace that her daughter returned for once, knowing that it might be the last chance they got to hold each other, Kagome took a deep breath of her scent and growled out, "_I love you, Pup._"

Crying without making a sound, Misaki replied in kind. "_I love you, Mama."_

Pulling back and wiping her eyes, the child said, "Now, go. See you soon," she said, giving a weak attempt to be cheerful like her mother.

Kagome closed her eyes and reached deep inside of herself.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Father! What is happening?" Sesshoumaru cried as he dashed outside. An incredible explosion had shaken the entirety of the palace, bringing loose stones down from the ceiling of the room that he and his family (a tingle shot through him at the thought) were resting in. Only his quick reflexes had saved his hours-old son from being killed by one of the falling rocks.

Izayoi was pretty shaken by that.

Without looking at him, Shiro drew Tetsusaiga, the Soul Blade that Totosai had refined but a year ago, and yelled, "Take Izayoi and get to my father's cave! Don't ask questions, just GO!"

And so he did.

"Izayoi! Bring Inuyasha, we're leaving for safety," the heir said, calmly but quickly striding into the warm and dimly-lit room.

"Sesshoumaru, what's going on?" she asked fearfully, holding her newborn close as her Soulmate picked them both up, dashed outside, and immediately took to the skies toward his grandfather's sacred cave.

Staring stubbornly ahead, he said, "My father is fighting his mortal enemy, the dragon Ryuukotsusei."

Izayoi gasped. "Ryuukotsusei? Now?"

A firm nod. She could tell that he was worried.

She looked over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, back at the palace that was quickly receding in the distance and the enormous figure of evil and power.

_Be safe, Shiro. . . ._ she willed.

And then she closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle that would save her father-in-law from the most terrifying being that she had ever seen.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

_Hikarikiyoi!_ Kagome greeted, somewhat surprised to see her hovering directly over the pinhole she'd squeezed through. She was dismayed to see how little of her power she possessed in this realm; in order to fit, she'd had to leave much of it behind, and she couldn't channel much energy in this state.

_**Kagome. Do you feel the end? In this realm, it is easy to feel.**_ Her Soul Blade sounded calm, resigned to her fate.

_No. Nothing will end,_ Kagome replied in a tone that said that she firmly believed that she could make it true.

_**In order to have what you want, you must sometimes sacrifice the things you have.**_

_I will succeed without sacrificing anything_. She knew that her Soul Blade would think she was being childish, but her luck was just that way.

She took off running over the endless field of dots, but after a few minutes, realized that she had no way of finding Shiro's opening.

And then her entire being was dragged rapidly toward what looked like a black tornado.

_The amulet I gave him at Christmas!_ she realized, euphoric at having remembered it. _The charm I didn't tell Shiro about that would summon me when he was wounded! Thank God!_

And without hesitating, she hurled herself into the twister.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Damn," he winced, clutching his old wound from the panther attack. The giant dragon hadn't said much, but then again, there wasn't much to say.

They both knew what this was. Neither had a need to redefine it.

By now, half of the palace was crushed by his enormous body, including where Sesshoumaru and Izayoi had been tending to their newborn son before they left. It chilled him to think that, had he not warned them, they would likely be dead.

Ryuukotsusei had taken more damage than Shiro had, but he had a lot more to lose than the relatively tiny dog demon. His entire serpentine body was sliced open in various places, but that didn't slow him down a bit. The one hit the dragon youkai had landed had almost crippled him.

Getting to his feet and deciding to ignore the blood flow for now, he picked up his sword and ran at his opponent again, knowing that there wasn't a chance in Hell that he'd come out victorious, but trying anyway to protect his pack.

Such was the nature of Inuyoukai.

And then she was there, ordering him to _not move_, and firing white arrows at Ryuukotsusei.

"Kagome . . . ?" he whispered disbelievingly. Had he already lost so much blood?

"Shiro! Get back!" she commanded, and he did, because on some level, he knew that he'd only get in her way.

_She's returned!_

_**No . . . it is only an apparition.**_

Splitting Hikarikiyoi in that achingly familiar way, she danced around his writhing length, slicing deeply into his belly and purifying the wounds for added effect, but it was quickly becoming obvious that Kagome alone wouldn't succeed.

_I have to help—_

_Shiro!_ her voice sounded in his head. Kami, he'd missed having her there. Even now, when either of them could and would probably die, her presence filled a gap in his chest that had been aching for centuries. _I need you to run. NOW._

_No_, he said stubbornly. _I won't leave you, not ag—_

_FOR GOD'S SAKE, I DID NOT COME THIS FAR JUST TO KILL YOU! NOW GO!_

_. . . Alright._

And then he ran, trying not to think that he was abandoning his Soulmate.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

At this point, Kagome had reached the same conclusion as Shiro. She couldn't win unless she did something drastic, and she decided that she would do anything to defeat the dragon. _I'm sorry, Misaki. I guess you won't see me soon, after all._

_How can I win?_ she asked her blade and her Warrior.

_**You must use both Ketsueki and me to defeat the dragon**_.

_Tell me how_.

_You will sacrifice much by doing this_.

Her earlier conversation with Hikarikiyoi rang through her head like church bells at a funeral. _I suppose you were right. I would sacrifice anything to save him._

And that was that.

_**Right now, we are both locked behind your strongest psyche—you.**_

_You must release us._

And then she knew precisely what she had to do.

Ceasing her attacks on the exposed muscle of Ryuukotsusei's body, she held still and forced herself to the back of her mind, ignoring the fact that he was now charging at her.

Kagome, lover, mother, sister, daughter, wife, Soulmate, care-taker, protector, whatever she was was just another voice in her head.

She could be quieted, or put to sleep.

So she was.

And she watched as her Soul Blade and Warrior both woke up.

They released themselves from her body simultaneously, visible for one moment as a miko she'd seen only once before and a silver-haired demon girl with indigo markings, elongated fangs and claws, and bloody eyes.

Suddenly, she realized who they were.

Midoriko and her Inner Youkai.

Utterly astonished, the revelation stole the breath from her lungs and her eyes widened, fully understanding now just what she was sacrificing.

And she still didn't regret it at all.

_**Then this is what must happen.**_

Together, her Soul Blade and Warrior disintegrated into pure reiki and youki. Their constant presence in her mind disappeared, and Kagome gasped at the loss. They shot at Ryuukotsusei, and time slowed as pink and crimson light met right at the great dragon demon.

The explosion of zentai completely tore apart the bonds between Ryuukotsusei's atoms, and with a final roar, he was gone.

And then, so were the presences that had been in her head since she first summoned Hikarikiyoi out of the air.

It was uncomfortably silent.

"Kagome!" Shiro called out, running to her. "Kagome, my Heart, my love, my mate, Kagome, you're _here_," he babbled, instinct and emotion surging throughout him and making it hard to talk.

But she understood what he was trying to communicate. Because she felt the same way.

But already, their time was running out, because the pull to the kami realm was becoming too strong to ignore. Without Hikarikiyoi to conduct energy for her, she was very weak. He must have realized this, too, because he stopped talking and looked at her, taking in every detail that had changed since he'd last seen her, every detail that had stayed the same.

"I will wait for you," he said, then, and she reached out for him and screamed his name, but no sound came out because she wasn't there anymore, she was in the realm of the kami.

Then she remembered something that Shiro had said so long ago, it seemed like an entirely different lifetime.

"_She is the embodiment of your ability to use spiritual energy; if she is destroyed, you will no longer have your powers, and you will never be able to create another."_

With a sickening wrench at her gut, she realized that since she could no longer channel energy from this realm, her pinhole would be closed, even if she managed to find it.

She was trapped here in this world of fog and ghostly light, suddenly more alone than she'd ever been before.

And nobody was going to save her.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

**Author's Note:**

**This chapter seems short to me, but I don't want to add fluff, and I feel like a lot happened. Do you feel like a lot happened?**

**It's 0421. ._. I've been writing for six hours. Whooooo.**

'**Night, All!**

**~Kamibi**


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

_With a sickening wrench at her gut, she realized that since she could no longer channel energy from this realm, her pinhole would be closed, even if she managed to find it._

_She was trapped here in this world of fog and ghostly light, suddenly more alone than she'd ever been before._

_And nobody was going to save her._

Chapter 23

A wave of vertigo overcame her as she truly comprehended her fate. She fell to the ground, not really feeling it, and screamed a terrible, aching scream.

Misaki would grow up without a mother—if she was lucky. A little hanyou, out by herself in the wilderness. It would be a miracle if she survived to find one of her relatives.

She cried for that.

Shiro would be waiting for her for hundreds of years, only to get to her point in time and realize that _she wasn't there_.

She cried for that.

Two chunks of her soul were now gone forever, and she'd never be able to use reiki or youki again.

She cried for that.

There were a thousand other reasons that she was crying, but eventually, she had to stop. Wiping her face on her billowy sleeve, she stood. Shaky at first, she quickly regained her composure and closed her wizened blue eyes.

She was the Shikon Miko, an Inu Dai, Soul Mate of the Lord of the West, and mother of who would probably be the most powerful being to exist ever.

She was Higurashi Kagome, and damn it, she would be strong.

_If Hikarikiyoi were here, she'd say something like that, anyway_.

Shaking her head to clear it, she took off in a random direction, looking for Misaki's gaping flare of light.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Misaki snapped her head up, looking toward the West. The night had gone unsettlingly still, and she felt something coming towards them. The girl tensed, putting her small body between it and her mother, who lay on the ground. This was it: if Mama had succeeded, things would change for obvious reasons, and if she hadn't, things would still change because this was when the new timeline caught up with the old one.

A great pulse of energy swept over her, picking apart every molecule before deeming her to be acceptable and continuing without pause, because it was sentient, and the hanyou girl thought that if the kami ever existed, that was what they felt like. Pure, living power. Misaki gasped at the feeling, and whipped around to watch it run over the horizon, rearranging the world to suit its purposes.

And then the headache hit.

She shrieked in shocked agony, the whole _world_ was shrieking with her. The pain clubbed her hard enough to knock her out, and she collapsed twitching on top of the sleeping miko.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Startled, Kagome looked around her. The lights seemed to be blinking, but upon closer inspection, they were disappearing and reforming in multitudes.

"What's happening?" she muttered, entranced by the display.

And then it was over as suddenly as it had begun, and Kagome was left standing there.

She shrugged, and continued on, searching for Misaki's light.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

She found herself in a world of thick fog and ethereal, golden light that shone from the ground in billions and billions of tiny dots.

"_Misaki_," an impossible number of voices said. She turned to face where the sound had come from.

It was a single woman with incredibly long black hair and lavish robes.

She shivered, recognizing her aura as that of the pulse that had passed through her.

This was Amaterasu-ōmikami, Goddess of the Sun and the Universe. Misaki fell prostrate onto the curious surface of shining pinpricks, bowing to her.

"_Rise, Little Hanyou. We must speak with you_," the chorus of voices sounded again.

She would never say it, but that creeped her the eff out, as Dogface would say.

The goddess chuckled, apparently able to read thoughts. That was great.

Misaki picked herself up, keeping her head bowed in deference.

"_Your mother, the Inumiko, has altered the very course of time. In doing so, she has brought to life numerous issues._

"_Firstly, the situation of the First Fate and the Second Fate that she has created. There are certain paradoxes, and as kami, we are responsible for healing them._"

"Paradoxes. . . . " Misaki echoed thoughtfully. "Like how if she changed the past, she would never try to go back to change it, which means that it never changed, and so on?"

"_Yes."_

"Then . . . what are you going to do?"

"_That is why we have brought you here. We are unsure."_

In her surprise, Misaki looked up briefly, to see Amaterasu staring at her. She looked down.

"Why me?" she asked, instead of asking why the kami didn't know.

"_This has not happened before in all the worlds,_" she spoke. "_It is unnatural, a perversion of nature, and as spirits of nature, we are uncertain of the correct response. But as overseers of this world, we also have a duty to mend the wound in the flow of time._"

"I . . . see," the young girl said slowly. "But still . . . why me, in particular?"

"_You were chosen because you are the Keeper of the Bridge of your world—"_ Misaki almost asked what 'the Bridge' was, and then realized that Amaterasu was referring to her abnormally large opening into this world._ "—and because you are born of both the First and Second Fates. You are the only one who could make a decision."_

Misaki remembered the pain which her mother had experienced for as long as she'd been alive. She remembered nights where her mother's subconscious couldn't keep the soul-deep pain hidden and she convulsed with sobs in her sleep. She remembered, and she spoke, ". . . what if Mama kept her memory of both pasts?"

"_If only the Inumiko retained her knowledge, the balance would be torn._" But the goddess hardly seemed displeased with the idea.

Balance between what? Misaki dared another glance, but Amaterasu just waited for her to say something.

Balance . . . between the worlds? No, that was hardly it. She got the feeling that the worlds didn't really affect each other. So balance in her world . . . but if Mama remembered to go back in the past, nobody else would be affected. So balance between what, then?

The answer came to her abruptly.

Balance in the soul that she and Shiro shared.

Amaterasu smiled.

"So . . . Shiro should keep his memories, too?" Misaki asked, certain that that was what she wanted her to say.

"_Yes. But there remain still more paradoxes. Everyone directly affected by Kagome's presence in their lives will live different ones if she is not present, or if she affects them differently._"

"So why don't they keep their memories of Kagome's influence, too, and just not remember the Fate where she wasn't there?" Misaki asked, furrowing her brow.

"_Let us use an example to clarify,_" the voices said. "_If the monk remembered the First Fate, because that was where Kagome affected him, and the Young Lord's mother remembered the Second Fate because that was where Kagome affected her, there would be two different Fates present in the world even as only one was lived, and that is impossible._"

Misaki was starting to become very confused about this "First Fate-Second Fate" business.

_Okay_, she thought_, the First Fate was when Mama didn't meet her Soulmate, and went around with the group._

_The Second Fate is what Mama did in the past, and how it affects everybody_.

Having thought of that, she then asked, "What if the people directly affected by Mama kept their memories of _both_ Fates?"

"_That would tear people like the male hanyou, who was raised by his brother in one life and threatened in another, apart."_

Misaki thought furiously, trying to come up with a solution. "Why don't . . . the First and Second Fates merge for a while, just so everyone can acclimate? Can you do that?"

"_If you decide as Keeper of the Bridge that it is best for your world, then we are indeed capable of doing so."_

"Then . . . here's what we'll do, so that everything can be better," Misaki said determinedly.

"_Who can truly decide what defines 'better'?"_

"I do. You said that I could, as Keeper," she stated petulantly.

Amaterasu smiled. This Keeper was a fast learner, unlike the last one. He had been chosen, unfortunately, by Destiny, whose will the kami could not control. His evil nature managed to find a loophole in the rule that all Keepers must be born at least partially-human by turning into a demon, and he abused his power to seek the Shikon Jewel relentlessly, killing all manners of people. "_What is your plan, Little One?"_

"Okay, so . . ."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"So . . . is that it?" the child asked tentatively.

"_There remains one subject that requires your immediate attention as Keeper of your world's Bridge._

"_In this realm, there is one trapped who does not belong here. Your task is to find them and bring them back through the Bridge."_ The goddess began to fade into the fog.

"Wait! Who am I looking for, and how will I find the Bridge again?" Misaki cried.

But she was gone.

The girl kicked the dense clouds in frustration, little ears flicking agitatedly on top of her head.

"Well," she said resignedly, "Mama's going to be pissed if I come home late."

And so she set off.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Groaning and holding his head, Inuyasha came to a few minutes after passing out. Kikyou was still unconscious at his side. He blinked around his lonely camp blearily, half-comprehending what was going on, and then suddenly, he remembered what had happened.

He remembered everything.

"Inuyasha!" a familiar voice called from behind him, worrying.

A feminine voice followed, repeating his name.

"Father?" he whispered, torn. " . . . Mother?"

Slowly, he turned around.

"Mother!"

And then Izayoi was caught in a great hug as she and her son were reunited after many long years.

Sesshoumaru kept his distance respectfully.

With a calculating look at the older demon, Inuyasha also embraced him as his father.

And then he punched him as his estranged younger brother.

"You asshole! You Soulmated my mom? The one you hated?" he shrieked.

Izayoi glared at Sesshoumaru, who blushed (Inuyasha almost ducked under a tree because the world was ending, soon—_Or did it already do that_?) and said, "I had what seemed like good reasons at the time, thought strangely, I'm having trouble remembering them. . . ."

"So strange," the lady remarked sarcastically. And then looking at Inuyasha, she said, "Your father is right, though. It's difficult to recall everything that happened before Kagome came back, like the memories are fading. . . ."

Inuyasha nodded, agreeing. "Yeah, but some of mine are lingering . . . In a week, I probably won't hate you anymore, you bastard."

Sesshoumaru flinched, but nodded. "That is likely."

"So . . . I should probably get all my anger out now, huh?" the hanyou grinned wildly, getting into position to fight.

"I am not entirely at peace yet, either," the older demon replied calmly, also bracing himself.

"Inuyasha!" Izayoi barked. "I am disappointed in you! Despite Sesshoumaru being a total ass to both of us for years—" she shot a sharp look toward her Soulmate, who smiled weakly, "—he has also protected and cared for and _loved_ both of us for many more."

"No fighting, then?" Inuyasha sighed, ears drooping and muscles relaxing. Sesshoumaru did the same.

"No." She looked at them for a long moment more. "And now that I think about, I want you two to hug it out."

They shared a look of incredulity.

"Now, now, Inuyasha, you've hugged your father before, many times in fact. Do you remember that time when you were frightened by that little human girl—"

"_Mother_!"

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Slowly, she arose from the dirt, hand on her head as if it could soothe away the final remnants of headache.

Then she realized that she could _feel_ things. Looking at her hands in wonder, she saw that they were young and smooth.

Last time she had seen her hands, they were clasping those of her still-young husband's as she passed away.

And then she remembered; she was mated to her beloved hanyou after so many years of struggle.

Confused, she stumbled off into the woods.

She had to move, do something, but she couldn't stay there.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

While his Soulmate and . . . son . . . argued, Sesshoumaru saw Inuyasha's mate disappear into the trees.

"Inuyasha," he cut in, "it is dark."

"Yeah? So?" he snarled.

"Your miko will likely not be able to find camp should she wander any farther," the senior Inu intoned.

The hanyou paled drastically, remembering everything about his mate. Seeing his mother and brother/father had completely distracted him.

"KIKYOU!"

And then he was gone, following her scent.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Something grabbed her arm. Frightened, she turned toward it, too unstable to summon her miko powers.

"Kikyou? Are you alright?" her beloved mate asked, worry on his face.

No, not beloved mate. She had sworn a vow of purity, she was a holy priestess. He was her _husband_.

A sudden slap startled her. Inuyasha had struck himself in the face. "I'm so, so sorry, of course you're not okay. In your new memories, you died of old age because we decided not to mate. Here, let's sit down."

He fell to the forest floor and gently tugged her down into his lap. Taking her dainty hand into his own clawed one, he held her close with the other arm.

"I know that we're mates and I've had you with me for years now, but I can't forget how you looked when the light faded out of your eyes thirteen years ago, and I sure as hell haven't forgotten your sadness those last few months. Kami, Kikyou, you almost killed me when you died," he sobbed into her hair.

"I was so scared, that final moment," she said softly after a while. "I thought, _What if he never moves on?_ _And, oh, Kami, this is happening._" And then, she whispered so quietly he almost didn't hear her, "And I regretted never having any children."

As mates, they'd been hesitant to take that leap, but now, having lived a long life together—and having an even longer one stretched out before them—they were more than ready.

He pulled back, staring at her wonderingly. "Kikyou, we couldn't then because of your vow, and I respected that decision, it didn't matter, I'd love you the same, but _now_, now that we're mated—"

"—Now that I've fulfilled my vow—"

"—we _could_," he finished joyously. "We could have so many pups! Kikyou, we could have _kids__!_"

She smiled at him hesitantly, still not completely recovered.

But she was getting there.

He whooped and stood up, bringing her with him and spinning her around.

And suddenly, she couldn't remember the life that she'd had where she hadn't died very well.

_What had Inuyasha done, the day that evil youkai—what was his name?—killed us?_

It saddened her that those memories were disappearing, but now, having made memories in this new life, she would never forget that she and her husband were finally together for eternity.

Her eyes swam with tears as she thanked kami and Kagome for giving her this second—_third?—_chance at life.

Then, she completely forgot every memory she'd made before the Great Pulse had ran through them.

But her mate still had conflicts to resolve.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Sango and Miroku woke simultaneously, slowly becoming more aware until they suddenly knew everything that they'd lived through.

They looked at each other wide-eyed, and then they were embracing fiercely.

"You found me—"

"I can't believe—"

They stopped speaking to let the other say what they wanted.

"You go first—"

"You should—"

Sango giggled, Miroku chuckled, and then said, "You should go first."

Eyes glistening, she stared at him without shame. "You found me, even in an alternate lifetime . . ."

"I thought I was looking for a beautiful maiden," he admitted.

". . ."

Smack. "Ow!"

She glared at him. "What was that?"

"I was told that there was a youkai posing as a daimyo, and he was capturing lovely young women, so I thought to myself, _Hm, I should see what I can do about that_, and then I found you, the love of my life and the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and please don't hit me again, that really, really hurts," he cried comically.

Rolling her eyes, she held his head in her lap as he whimpered. "It seems strange, though, to still end up with each other even though Naraku was killed when you were young, and he was almost entirely why we met. . . ."

Cutting the act short, Miroku sat up properly. He looked at her in the dark, lit only by the moonlight that came in through the glassless window in their hut. Her hair was tangled, and her yukata was wrinkled and one sleeve was falling off her shoulder as she leaned on her hand, and he had never loved something so much in his entire life. "Do you believe in Soulmates, Sango?"

Staring at him for a moment, she pushed him onto his back and began to remove clothing.

"Sango? Darling? Are you well?" He sounded worried, but he made no move to stop her.

Stubbornly, she said, "A romantic statement like that deserves a special reward."

" . . . Well, hey, I'm not complaining . . ."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Shippou was hiding in a tree and trying to sleep when the Great Pulse washed over him.

He woke up on the ground with a sore tailbone.

His large eyes widened impossibly, and he stood up slowly.

And then he took off, faster than he'd ever gone before, toward a place he hadn't been since his parents had been killed by the Thunder Brothers.

His family's den.

_Mama and Papa are still alive!_

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Staring longingly at the spot that Kagome had been a moment ago, Shiro closed his eyes and willed no tears to fall.

Those were unbecoming of Daiyoukai, and he had to be strong.

As he was turning to leave, a massive force thumped in his chest. He gasped, stumbling and tripping. Landing on his face, he was paralyzed as something erupted from inside him. It wasn't anything he'd felt before—rather, this force seemed to be using his body as a gateway to the world, because it was _alive_, somehow.

And then, curiously, it disappeared.

Barely managing to stay awake, he gasped as a powerful headache knocked him about, and visions rushed before his eyes.

_His love, Izayoi, standing proud as he met her for the first time in the woods—_

_Their beautiful baby boy, and then being called to fight his mortal enemy—_

_Marrying Kyoei without any reservations, never getting divorced—_

_Striking Sesshoumaru for interrupting him during a business meeting because the young Prince had never met his father before—_

"Kami . . ." he gasped, finally losing consciousness.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"Father?"

Gradually, he opened his eyes. He was in the medical room, which had fortunately survived Ryuukotsusei's attack, the gash on his shoulder wrapped in bandages.

"Father?" Sesshoumaru asked again, worried.

"Sesshoumaru?" he croaked, squinting and putting his arm over his eyes. He almost asked "Why do you care if I'm injured?" but remembered himself in time.

"Be quiet, Father, you mustn't stress yourself," his son told him gently, standing up and calling to Izayoi and his newborn.

"Shiro? Are you alright?" his son's Soulmate inquired, a small hanyou in her arms.

Conflicting emotions roiled within the Demon Lord, and he shut his eyes again.

"Yes, I'm fine. I would like some more rest, though. . . ." he hinted, and both his heir and his friend—_just a friend, she's just a friend—_nodded, turning to leave.

Just before he closed the door, Sesshoumaru gave an unreadable look to his father.

And then it was closed.

Shiro went inside of himself.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

For once, Shin was quiet.

"So . . ." he began.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO US, AND WHY DID IT NOT HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE?!" Shin exploded. He seemed more affected by the change than Shiro, which was logical because Shin was his emotional aspect.

"The way things would've been without Kagome, that's what we're remembering," Shiro explained that hollowly.

His Inner gave him a dry look. "I _know_ that, you smart ass. I was referring to the second inquiry," Shin mocked him.

Shiro rolled his eyes. "It is likely because their future selves are receiving the memory input."

That they didn't have a future self went unspoken between them.

And neither of them knew that Izayoi had died in the first timeline.

"Alright, I can accept that," the Inner Youkai nodded slowly. "But how are we supposed to react?" He was obviously talking about his feelings toward Sesshoumaru and his family, because that was where he was most conflicted. He saw Inuyasha both as his son and his grandchild, Izayoi as his mate and his daughter, Sesshoumaru as a nuisance and his beloved heir.

Thinking about it made his head swim.

"We must approach this logically," Shiro decided. "Right now, the second timeline is in full effect. We cannot behave as if the first ever happened."

"But how can we ignore our feelings for them?"

"Remember Kagome, and how much we love her. She will guide us through however long it takes to recover."

Shin's ruby eyes softened around the edges, and his form slumped. "It's hard."

"Most things worth doing are."

They sighed in tandem.

It would be many years before they came to terms with the present and fully healed from the wounds of the First Fate, which they would never forget . . .

. . . but eventually, it would happen.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

With nothing else to do, Misaki thought about her recent rendezvous with a kami.

_Flashback_

"Okay, so because nobody besides Mama and her Soulmate can remember both Fates permanently, what if everybody only kept their memories of both Fates until accepted the Second Fate and adjusted their lifestyles to suit it?"

"_And where will they be physically?"_

"How about . . . where they were in the First Fate, so that they have proof that it happened?"

"_Have them experience both and then, as they accepted the Second Fate, lost all memory of the First? That is precisely what we had hoped you would say, Keeper,_" Amaterasu smiled, that all-knowing and comforting smile of hers.

Misaki was confused. "Then . . . why have me say it?"

"_The kami do not have the right to make such declarations. We cannot meddle directly in the affairs of our worlds."_

. . . What was this, then?

"_This is you determining the fate of your world, using the power of the kami to do so."_

Ugh. That sounded like _politics_. It made her head hurt even more, so she stopped thinking about it.

"So . . . is that it?"

_End Flashback_

Really, it was a rather brilliant solution, if she did say so herself. Even though she wasn't entirely sure what a Keeper did, she felt that she was going to make one hell of an awesome one.

Humming cheerfully, Misaki had found that she always felt a little tug at the back of her head in the direction of where the Bridge was, and so discovered that she would never be lost in this realm.

_Now to find the sucker who got lost here . . ._

In a moment of epiphany, the wiry hanyou suddenly realized who it had to be, the only person it could be.

_Mama . . ._

A sting of fear touched her heart. Her mother had been in this realm for hours, wandering around hopelessly and probably despairing that she would never see her family again.

To an Inu, family was everything. They knew this instinctively; those particular values had been wired into Kagome's head since she had become one, and Misaki felt it even more strongly.

She had to get her mother out of here.

Focusing her power, she tried to channel the zentai into a cloud beneath her, but instead, the fog condensed beneath her feet, leaving small gaps in it that allowed her to see further than a few feet ahead of her, and acted as her energy cloud, instead.

Deducing that the fog was zentai (_And I didn't have to channel it because it's already here!_), she filed that knowledge away later and paid more attention to the fact that she could manipulate it how she wanted.

_If I could lift it, just for a few seconds, I could find Mama so easily_, Misaki thought.

And to her utter surprise, the energy responded.

Her cloud of mist dissipated and she fell a few feet back to the surface of light, but she landed upright and immediately spun a full rotation.

At her seven o'clock, Misaki saw a tiny shape impossibly far away, because this realm was flat and had no horizon. Willing the fog to get her there immediately, Misaki found herself being shot forward like an arrow from her mother's bow.

_Hold on, Mama . . ._

_I'm coming._

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kagome was meandering around aimlessly—_I swear I've seen that dot before—_when the fog abruptly lifted about a foot above her head. She stared at it blankly. "What . . . ?"

And then something barreled into her, knocking the Inumiko off of her feet and tumbling with her for a good few yards.

Dazed, Kagome looked up for a moment, before she smelled the object and immediately recognized the scent.

"Misaki?" she stared disbelievingly. A hundred questions ran through her mind. Without having to say a single word, her daughter answered.

"Well, it turns out that Destiny or whatever made me open my barriers into this world, which is impossible for anybody besides the Bridge Keeper, which I am, and I know because I talked to Amaterasu and so I got to decide the fate of everybody at home and I can never get lost here because I'm the Keeper so I always know where the Bridge is and I can control the fog because the fog is Zentai and that's about it," Misaki blurted, adrenaline-high from the recent nigh-teleportation.

Kagome blinked.

She looked at her daughter dumbly.

And then she hugged her so hard, Misaki felt her joints crack. "Ow, Mama, youkai strength," she gasped, trying to get enough oxygen to her brain.

Of course she was ignored. What if she died? Mama would never get out. Honestly, the woman never thought ahead.

"Oh, my darling, my baby girl, you came to rescue me from this terrible place, and don't you think I'm not going to punish you for that, coming here was dangerous," Kagome wailed despondently, not changing tone once, despite her (terrifying, if Misaki was honest with herself) threat.

Misaki sweat-dropped.

"Mama," she croaked when Kagome's grip loosened a bit, "wanna get out of here?"

Her mother stood, holding Misaki in her arms. "Do you even have to ask?"

Grinning, Misaki climbed onto her mother's back, securing her grip. "Hold on tight."

"What—"

Closing her eyes, the hanyou girl thought about them zooming toward that tug in the back of her head, so fast that she felt the skin on her face flapping and her clothes thwacked against her hard enough to hurt, and then it was happening.

She shrieked into the deafening wind in pure excitement.

Kagome shrieked for an entirely different reason.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

"TAKAHASHI MISAKI!" she roared, bolting up and throwing the smaller female off of her body. Distantly, a flock of birds fled the noise.

Jumping, Misaki's eyes snapped open, and she barked "Sir, yes, sir!" She gave a crisp salute and stood at attention while lying down.

Kagome's eye twitched, and she let the fear simmer in her daughter before she hissed, "Never . . . _EVER_," she screeched, making her white-haired daughter wince in pain, "do that again. _Or I will make you suffer_."

White as zentai, Misaki squeaked, "Sir, yes, sir," still staring straight up at the stars.

The elder miko sighed. "Stand down, Soldier." She laid down on the grass next to her, gazing at the dark sky, full of the same little pinpricks of light in the world she had just been in.

After she'd spent enough time seeing the world—no fog!—and hearing the nightlife and smelling everything there was to be smelled, Kagome said, "Let's go home, Brat."

Misaki nodded, forming a cloud of zentai and they cruised back home—_slowly,_ after another sharp glare from her mother.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

When they returned to the village, Kagome was shocked to see the same villagers who had driven her and her daughter out of it just a few days ago bowing in reverence and whispering things she never thought she'd hear in this place.

"Lady of the West—"

"—most powerful miko—"

"Show some respect!"

Whispering, Kagome said, "What's up with this, do you know?"

Slapping herself for forgetting, the child quickly filled her in on the details of her conversation with Amaterasu.

Kagome whacked her upside the head for forgetting, too, so that her skull throbbed in two places.

Well, she did kind of deserve that.

As they walked by, people sank to the ground, bowing. At a loss, Kagome decided to ignore it regally, walking more gracefully and straightening her posture.

Now that she was Lady of the West, she could hardly strut around however she pleased.

Or that was what Hikarikiyoi would say.

A twinge of regret touched her for a moment, before she remembered that because her psyches had given their lives, Shiro had kept his, along with a host of other people who would have died without their intervention.

They followed the dirt road in the strangely well-developed town, and it ended at the base of a relatively large house.

"Misaki, do you know who lives here?"

Confused for a moment—had Misaki not kept her memories? Now that was hardly fair—she was about to reply with "Dunno" when she realized that she did know.

"Dogface and Kikyou, as Father's grandson and granddaughter," she said. Kagome looked at her funnily, and then she realized that that was the first time she had called that demon "father" in a long time.

She coughed under the stare, and said, "Come on. Let's go inside. It's been almost half the night since everybody regained their memories, let's sleep the other half while we wait for them to get here."

"'Them'?" Kagome echoed, following her daughter inside. She seemed to know where she was going, so she walked in front.

"Everybody who matters," Misaki replied, sliding a door to a guest room open and ushering her mother in. They changed into the yukatas there and crawled under the blankets, surprisingly exhausted.

"'Night, Mama."

" . . . Good night, Brat."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Kagome's nose woke before she did, detecting the scent of food cooking. Her eyes followed, and then her mind. She sat up slowly, trying not to wake her daughter, but the incredibly loud rumble of her stomach was not exactly stealthy.

"Mama?" the girl yawned, stretching her thin limbs. "You awake?"

"Yeah," she replied in a hushed tone. "Get dressed, there are people here." Kagome tossed her the kimono she'd worn yesterday and pulled on her own haori.

When they were done, they headed down the hall. Bustling around the primitive kitchen was a woman that Kagome had seen only once before, and sitting on the mats in the adjacent room were her hanyou brother, his mate, and his brother. They were having a quiet conversation, surprisingly curse-free from what she could hear.

Inuyasha's mother turned to her then, smiling widely and holding out a hand. "You must be Kagome," she said brightly.

"Yes, and you are the Lady Izayoi, I believe?" she smiled back tentatively. A warm nod was her response.

"If you don't mind me asking," she stated awkwardly, the question burning inside of her. "How exactly are you here? I mean, the last I knew of you, you were human, and that was centuries ago."

A quiet fell over the house.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru called, "it might be best for you to wait until breakfast is ready before we discuss anything."

Well. That was unusually friendly of him. Puzzled, but agreeing, she instead asked Izayoi, "Is there anything I can help with?"

The taller woman smiled, relieved. "If you wouldn't mind, could you chop these up . . ."

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Once everyone was satisfied, Inuyasha, Izayoi, and Sesshoumaru glanced at each other, apparently having some sort of telepathic conversation.

Inuyasha cleared his throat first. "Well, Kagome, y'see, when you met my dad, you stole his heart completely, and he was incapable of loving another ever again, and so, certain things didn't happen, like—"

"—Lord Shiro didn't love me, like had in the first timeline," Izayoi finished, exasperated with her son's behavior.

Kagome asked somewhat skeptically, "Then how was Inuyasha born—not that I'm complaining!" she added hurriedly, seeing his ears droop.

"My father had posed an ultimatum. Marry and bear a child, or he'd essentially kill my mother and disown me. Between being the Human Emissary and caring for my sick mother, I had no friends besides Shiro, and certainly no male that I trusted with the burden," Izayoi explained. "It was a business transaction, conducted only because he felt that you had betrayed him."

Kagome felt guilty as an Inu and indignant as a human. As a Soulmate, though, she knew that Shiro hadn't betrayed her love, and so she reluctantly accepted what Izayoi said.

This time, Sesshoumaru spoke up. "Because a mysterious miko had intervened before my birth and told my father to treat me well—" he gave a grateful look to Kagome, who blushed, but returned his stare, "—I grew up more confident and open to feeling things, and developed certain . . . affections for Izayoi. After my father impregnated her, I knew that somebody had to step in and father the child, and it was not going to be Father. He continued to have issues balancing his duties as Lord of the West, his pain over losing you, and his personal life. Asking him to raise a child was just too much for him to bear, and I already felt attracted to Izayoi.

"By the time she gave birth, we had already Soulmated and married," he finished, gazing lovingly at his partner.

_Soulmated? Wow, I so did not see that one coming._

"Wait . . . so you're Inuyasha's _dad_ now?" Kagome asked incredulously.

The family glanced at each other again. Izayoi said, "Well, yes, it is a little strange, we admit—"

Hastily, Kagome clarified her disbelief. "No, no, I completely understand how that happened. It's just . . . so very different from what I'm used to, you'll have to excuse me if it takes a while to adjust," she apologized.

Another three-way glance.

Damn, that was getting kind of annoying.

Now it was Inuyasha's turn. "Yeah, no worries there. We're still having some trouble getting used to the new memories, although strangely, our old ones have been disappearing . . ."

Misaki coughed and Kagome gave her a dry look.

The youngest one there said weakly, "Well, ah, I'm sure time will heal all wounds . . ."

Looking at the other miko, who had been silent so far, Kagome asked, "So, Kikyou? What about you? How did this whole mess affect you?"

" . . . I died in the other timeline," she whispered bluntly.

Gaping, the inumiko spluttered to apologize for her rudeness, but Kikyou held up a hand.

"I died of old age, because I had not endured the trials of the life where you met me and so did not choose to mate my beloved Inuyasha," she explained. "But having lived a full life with him and having also experienced struggle, I feel that I have been given a third chance to do things the right way." She smiled at her husband and mate, who smiled back at her and pulled her into his lap—which wasn't that far, anyway, because they were on the floor.

Kikyou fell silent and did not explain further, and no one felt the need to press her.

"I guess that's all, then," Kagome stated thoughtfully. At some point in the conversation, Misaki had gotten up to wash off the dishes and return them to their proper places, so nobody moved for a while as they waited for Kagome to absorb the information and commit it to memory.

"So . . . where's Shiro?"

This time, everybody glanced at each other, Kikyou and Misaki included.

Kagome's face twitched. That was getting old really, really, quickly.

"Father said that he would be where you first met him," Sesshoumaru disclosed. They all looked at her differently, then: Inuyasha had a look of slight disgust on his face, Izayoi and Kikyou had varying levels of that feminine interest in romance, Misaki seemed encouraging, and Sesshoumaru . . .

. . . had Sesshoumaru-face on. Which was to say, displaying no emotion.

_Good to see some things haven't changed_, she snorted to herself.

Rolling her eyes, she got up, saying, "I'd better go see him, then."

There was not one word as she left the house.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Walking slowly to the Well, Kagome resisted the urge her feet had to dash toward her Soulmate. She didn't know how he'd respond to her, and quite honestly, she was terrified of a negative reaction. She didn't know what would be worse, never seeing her love again or knowing that he had rejected her.

So she hesitated.

It was mid-Spring, and Nature was in full bloom, so it was easy to find distractions on the side of the road. But eventually, she ran out of distance between her and the clearing that the Bone-Eater's Well sat in, and, sighing, faced her fate.

_I was always going to end up here_.

Stepping strongly from the tree line, she stopped as she saw her Soulmate for the second time in six years.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Standing in the meeting point of the breezes, Shiro closed his eyes and just breathed in the scents of Spring.

The distant aroma of cherry blossom, the pungent odor of animals being born, the familiar scent of vanilla and cloves—

Slowly, he turned around to face that scent, long bangs and robes billowing in the breeze.

There she stood, looking exactly the same as she had three centuries ago.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

Suddenly, she knew that never seeing Shiro again would be Hell, because just catching a glimpse of the sunlight on his hair, on his robes was enough to make her heart sing and _ache_, because _Oh, he's aged_ and _What did you think would happen in 300 years? _and it doesn't matter, none of it matters anymore because he's _here_—

Before she even really made a conscious decision to run, she had and then she was wrapped up in his warmth and he was tangled in hers and she could have sobbed for the intense relief it brought her. They held each other for a while, too tightly to really be comfortable, but so perfectly, the feeling of being in the other's presence euphoric after so long of feeling empty and alone as two separate halves of a soul.

Kagome felt wetness on her scalp, and realized that Shiro was crying.

For her.

That thought made her tear up, too, and soon, they were both weeping uncontrollably.

They'd been through so very much . . .

"Well," she laughed humorlessly, "this is kind of silly."

He responded with a sad chuckle, and brought them both down to the foot-tall grass.

Turning her around so that they faced the same direction, he wrapped his arms and tails around her, pressing his lips into her thick hair until they rested on her head.

She had never felt so safe and beloved in her life.

"I waited for you," he said.

Smiling blindingly, she stroked his fur and watched time pass by with her Soulmate.

This was the first time they'd ever had that chance.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

An hour or so after sunset, they both decided that it was time to go inside, and so they did, hand in hand.

On the way back, Kagome said, "So what exactly do you remember?"

He replied, "I got my memories back the day you saved my life."

She stopped.

Amicably, he stopped, too.

Looking at him with those big, blue eyes—he had had so many dreams about those eyes—she said, "Shiro . . . that must have been terrible, being the only one who knew what had happened." Her voice was mournful and guilty, and that hurt worse than getting his memories back.

_**That's just because you don't remember it that well**_, Shin snorted. _**That headache was a **_**bitch**.

He was ignored.

"Kagome, it is illogical to blame yourself for my falling in love with you. If I hadn't done that, none of this would have happened."

"But that wasn't your fault! If I hadn't gone back, you wouldn't have fallen in love with me. I should have known that would happen, men just have a tendency to fall madly in love with me," she teased mischievously.

"Oh?" he arched a brow as he took her hand and continued on their way back to his grandson's house. "And which men would that be?"

Restraining a giggle, she came up with a list of fake names off the top of her head.

Raising a kid—her heart throbbed at the thought of Shippou, but she pushed that aside—had taught her a lot about being able to come up with stories on command.

Shiro was actually impressed. After he stopped growling.

_~Bird in the White Cage~_

When they got backed to Inuyasha's home, Misaki was standing outside waiting for them. She and her father had a silent face-off, before he gathered her up in his arms and held her close. She clung to his broad shoulders, and Kagome continued quietly inside.

"Hey, why are Misaki and Shiro getting so teary over there?" Kagome asked, pointing at roughly the spot where they stood.

"Grandfather wasn't here until the surge of power yesterday," Inuyasha explained, not looking up from his task of lighting the fires for Izayoi to cook.

"And neither was I," his mother added, stepping lightly past Kagome. "Although my recollection of the events is fading rather quickly . . ."

Well . . . at least Misaki had told her about that part, so she didn't start asking about it.

"Hello, Lady Kagome!" a young voice chirped. Turning to greet its owner, Kagome stopped, gaping openly.

"Rin?"

Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome to the side, to stop her from floundering too much.

"Surprisingly, Rin is a distant descendent of Izayoi, so when we were passing through a village, I caught her scent and took her with me. The residents there were not too disappointed with the loss," he told her quickly.

Still stuck on "distant descendent," it took her a few seconds to catch up.

She groaned.

_This is what you get for changing the past. Every god damned thing is different_, she moaned despairingly.

Then she really thought about it. _Some of the stuff just does not make sense, though. Why would Kikyou have lived to an old age with Inuyasha if all that happened was me finding my Soulmate?_

_Unless . . . said Soulmate did something to further alter the course of history . . ._

With a sinking feeling, Kagome posed an open-floor question as people ran back and forth around her. "Hey, uh, does the name 'Naraku' ring a bell with any of you?"

Shiro managed to time his entrance perfectly with his daughter still clinging to his chest as he headed into the house, adding another pair of arms to the increasing workforce in the kitchen. "Do you mean that nuisance on the border of my lands? I killed him as soon as I sensed him; something that evil wasn't going to be good, anyway . . . why do you ask?"

Kagome wanted to punch herself in the face and wake up in a place where the word _sanity_ still had some weight.

Sighing, she decided that she'd figure out the rest of the differences with time.

After all, she now had exactly all of the time in the world.

Deciding to make nice with these aliens who had taken over her life, she stepped into the chaos of people running around and asked, "Anything I can do?"

A pot was shoved into her arms, and she was told to "figure out what to do with it."

Smiling, she got to work.

Feeding a family of seven immortals and a growing human girl took a surprising amount of effort.

_Family, huh . . ._

And the sense of complete solitude that had haunted her since she lost her powers disappeared with that thought.

For once, everything was good, and it would be forever.

Then Inuyasha managed to start a fire and incinerate himself simultaneously.

Well . . . at least the problems didn't involve time-travel, anymore. She'd had enough of that for three lifetimes.

_~End~_

**Author's Note:**

**Wow, guys, I'm actually tearing up. . . .**

**This is the first story I've ever completed. I'm so grateful to all of you who read up to this point, and to everyone who reviewed and favorited. I'm kind of a pathetic loser, so your continued support was literally the best part of my weeks.**

**God, I love you guys.**

**I am so tempted to do a sequel based on Misaki's being Keeper thing. What do you think? It wouldn't be quite so long (Good God, this chapter is over 7k. O_o), but I still want to do it.**

**Well . . . that's all for now.**

**Sniff.**

**~Kamibi**


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